News:
December 6, 2022
The Effiduase Asokore Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Health Committee Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie has confirmed that not all the hospitals promised by government under the Agenda 111 project can be completed by the end of 2024.
According to him government had earlier indicated its hope to complete the construction of all the hospitals under the project by 2024.
But Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, contributing to the 2023 budget statement at the plenary on Monday, December 5, 2022 said it would not be possible for the government to meet the 2024 timeline.
“Frankly, I would not say that all 111 and seven regional hospitals and 2 psychiatric hospitals could be finished in 2024 it does not make sense”, he said in his contribution.
“However, it makes sense to say that 89 of them have started and if in two years even 30 of them are completed. It is a legacy. If the NPP inherits itself as it will, then it will see the light of day that all these districts will have the hospitals,” he said.
The Effiduase Asokore MP contended that the project must not be politicised, because its inability to be completed benefits no government.
He applauded government for starting 89 of the projects, adding that “if in 4 years we are done with 20 or 30, this is not to be politicised, it is better than none.”
He said government is redesigning some of the projects under Agenda 111 and settling land acquisition issues for others.
And added that ambitious as agenda 111 is, it is a legacy because of COVID -19; Ridge hospital was started by the previous government and phase two is being completed by the current government and signifies continuity as far as the health sector is concerned.
Further in his contribution he noted that many who can afford within the West African sub-region bring their children to Ghana to complete their health education, and if Ghana can produce health personnel and export like the Philippines do will be healthy for the economy.
“There is hope in the budget saying Ghana will sign a contract with Britain so that Ghanaians will go there; some of us were in such business and it was helping our families”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com