A total of 88 hospitals are under government’s Agenda 111 programme are currently under construction, according to Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah.
Mr Kojo-Oppong Nkrumah provided updates on the Agenda 111 programme which is to see the construction of 111 health facilities during a press briefing in Trede, Ashanti Region, on Thursday, June 29, where the project was launched two years ago.
“The brief I have is that 88 are currently under construction and it is grouped into eight zones and in those eight zones, you will find 54 projects. We have visited 33 sites so far and we thought that coming to Trede, where it all began, it is important to showcase from Trede all that has gone on so far.”
“We have also provided you with the reports of the sites that we have visited so far, the majority of them that are doing well, the few of them that are behind schedule,” he said.
Mr Oppong-Nkrumah stated that some of the hospitals which are behind schedule have been terminated.
During the launch of the Agenda 111 programme on August 17, 2021, President Akufo-Addo vowed to complete work within 18 months, but government has failed to fulfil its promise due to challenges in acquiring land for construction, among others.
This has led to doubts about the government’s commitment to the projects, however, the government remains confident that all the hospitals will be completed before the end of President Akufo-Addo’s second term.
Also addressing the press, the Presidential advisor on health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare, assured that there is sufficient funding available for the completion of the project.
Government secured US$100 million start-up fund through the Ghana Investment Infrastructure Fund (GIIF) for the commencement of works on ‘Agenda 111’ district, specialised and regional hospitals across the country.
Dr Nsiah Asare reiterated the benefits of the programme, which include more health facilities, creation of employment opportunities for nurses which will contribute to the overall economic growth of Ghana.
Source: The Independent Ghana | Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey