Re: Mahama did not initiate and complete a single hospital project - McKeown

On Wednesday August 28, 2024, I appeared on Ghana Yenson morning show on Accra 100.5 Fm cohosted by Otafrigya Kakyire Kwesi Appea-Apreku and Odeheeba Kofi Essuman. During the show, I made strong arguments about the records of both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on hospital projects initiated and completed as well as those inherited and completed to drum home the unmatched 8-year Achievements of Nana Addo/Bawumia compared to that of Mills and Mahama.

For the records, I never said Mahama did not initiate and complete a single hospital project as reported by Classfmonline (https://www.classfmonline.com/news/politics/Mahama-did-not-initiate-and-complete-a-single-hospital-project-McKeon-54940),

Ghanaweb (https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Mahama-did-not-initiate-and-complete-a-single-hospital-project-McKeon-1948008 ) and

Modern Ghana (https://www.modernghana.com/news/1337121/mahama-didnt-initiate-complete-a-single-hospital.html )

I would want to restate the facts and expect these respectable news portals to make the necessary corrections accordingly. These hospitals also do not include rehabilitation and expansion of existing hospitals.

Below are the facts

1. Number of hospitals initiated under president Mills included LEKMA hospital, Bank Hospital, Maritime Hospital and University of Ghana Medical Centre phase I all in the Greater Accra Region. However, the only Hospital Initiated under Mills 4 years administration and completed by him throughout the then 10 regions in Ghana is LEKMA.
2. No single hospital inherited by Mills/Mahama was completed during their 4 years in office.
3. John Mahama initiated a number of hospitals which include Dodowa, Fomena, Kumawu, Abetifi, Wheta, Tolon, Somanya, Sawla, Buipe, Garu Tempane and Bamboi. Among these hospitals, Dodowa (Shai Osudoku) Hospital is the only hospital Mahama can say he initiated and completed in 4 years.
4. The following hospitals: Bank Hospital, Maritime Hospital and University of Ghana Medical Centre phase I which were completed by Mahama were not initiated by him but Atta Mills.
5. In 4 years, Mahama did not complete a single hospital inherited from an NPP administration.
6. In 8 years of Mills and Mahama administration, not a single hospital inherited from Kuffour was completed.
7. Mahama and Mills together completed 5 hospitals in 8 years (LEKMA hospital, Bank Hospital, Maritime Hospital and University of Ghana Medical Centre, Dodowa hosptal). All these hospitals are located in the Greater Accra Region. Not a single hospital was completed by Mills and Mahama in 8 years in any other region in Ghana.
8. Mills and Mahama did not complete a single hospital in Volta region, their World Bank in 8 years.
9. The following are some of the hospitals inherited from NDC administration but completed by Akufo Addo/Bawumia
   1. Kumawu Hospital – https://www.nmsinfrastructure.com/blog/2024/5/7/official-handover-of-kumawu-district-hospital-in-ghana
   2. Fomena Hospital - https://www.myjoyonline.com/akufo-addo-commissions-adansi-north-hospital/

      https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/After-eight-years-of-neglect-NDC-PC-for-Kumawu-slams-Akufo-Addo-for-commissioning-Mahama-s-120-bed-district-hospital-1941184

   3. Wheta Hospital - https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ketu-north-municipal-hospital-starts-operation.html
   4. Tolon Hospital - https://www.modernghana.com/news/1045109/tolon-district-hospital-formally-commissioned.html
   5. Yilo Krobo, Somanya Hospital - https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/health/yilo-krobo-district-hospital-begins-operation.html
   6. Buipe Hospital - https://www.myjoyonline.com/akufo-addo-commissions-85-bed-central-gonja-district-hospital/
10. The following hospitals were inherited from President Kufour’s Eurojet Project but completed by Akufo Addo/Bawumia https://euroget-group.com/projects/health-care/
    1. Upper West Regional Hospital, Wa https://citinewsroom.com/2019/08/nana-addo-commissions-upper-west-regional-hospital/#google_vignette
    2. Tepa District Hospital - https://citinewsroom.com/2020/09/akufo-addo-commissions-60-bed-tepa-hospital/
    3. Ga East Municipal Hospital https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Akufo-Addo-commissions-Ga-East-Municipal-Hospital-796926#google_vignette
    4. Konongo Hospital - https://gna.org.gh/2022/10/president-commissions-60-bed-municipal-hospital-at-konongo/
    5. Twifo Praso – https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-60-bed-hospital-for-twifo-praso-inaugurated.html
    6. Nsawkaw district Hospital , Tain - https://www.moh.gov.gh/president-akufo-addo-inaugurates-tain-district-hospital/

Nana Akufo Addo has also completed the Bekwai Municipal Hospital which was started by the late Head of State, General I.K. Acheampong’s military government.

http://www.bma.gov.gh/president-akufo-addo-commissions-bekwai-municipal-hospital

https://www.myjoyonline.com/akufo-addo-commissions-40-year-old-120-bed-bekwai-municipal-hospital/

11. Akufo Addo/Bawumia initiated and have completed the following Hospitals. These Hospitals are not part of the Agenda 111 Hospitals and there are a tens of ongoing other non-agenda 111 hospital projects across the country.
    1. Sefwi Akontombra
    2. Kwapra Hospital in Suame Constituency
    3. Sabronum Hospital
    4. Bogoso Gov't Hospital
    5. Twedie Hospital in Atwima Kwanwoma
    6. Manso Nkwanta Hospital
    7. Drobonso Hospital
    8. Achiase Hospital
    9. Elubo
    10. Twedie
    11. MimAtiwa West
    12. Tarkwa Nsuaem Hospital

On the part of employment of health professionals, Nana Addo/Bawumia have employed over 170,000 Helath professionals between 2017 and 2023. Over 15, 000 new nurses are also being employed in 2024. Below is the number of health professionals employed under the period

• 2017 – 10,061
• 2018 – 11,021
• 2019 – 40,201
• 2020 – 51,671
• 2021 – 26,368
• 2022 – 7,020
• 2023 – 24,488
• 2024 – 15, 200 (recruitment ongoing)

From the above, it is clear that no government since independence has contributed to Ghana’s health infrastructure more than Akufo Addo/Bawumia Administration.

James McKeown
Chairman, NPP-Finland Branch
+233535352166 / +358451856393