President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is making another fantastic claim that his administration will complete the construction of 111 health centres and hospitals across the country in 18 months, under its much-publicised Agenda 111 project.
Each of the hospitals would cost some US$ 17 million, summing up to some US$ 1.9 billion. It is unclear where the government would get the money from, as it sinks the debt-distressed Ghana into unprecedented public debt levels.
This promised timeline is coming despite completely failing to fulfill an earlier promise in 2020 where he claimed his government would complete constructing some 88 health outposts and hospitals in less than one year.
By the close of 2020, none of the promised health facilities were constructed. This confirmed criticisms of his administration of pulling off that stunt as an empty political gimmick to score points in that year’s general elections.
His latest promise was made on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region when he cut the sod for the commencement of the health facilities.
President Akufo-Addo also explained that $12.88 million will be for the construction of the hospitals and $4 million for medical equipment.
“So far sites have been identified for 88 of the 111 hospitals, and after cutting the sod, work on the other 87 sites will also commence today [Tuesday],” an excited President Akufo-Addo announced.
“The acquisition of the remaining 13 sites will be completed shortly for work to begin. Each hospital is being constructed at a cost of $16.88 million, i.e. $12.88 million for construction and $4 million for medical equipment, and all the hospitals are to be completed in 18 months and works will begin on the regional and other hospitals in the latter part of the year.”
The government has already set aside an amount of US$100 million as commencement funding for its ambitious Agenda 111 project.
Source: whatsupnewsghana