The Agenda 111 project by the Akufo Addo administration aimed at building hospitals in the country has received several mixed feelings with the recent being the Minority in Parliament wanting to know the source of funding for the plan to build 111 hospitals across the country.
Sighted in a press release the minority indicated that, there are no details for the disbursement since the project has being backed with GHS600 million.
“We are raising issues of funding because of the plethora of abandoned and in some cases never-ending health projects littered across the country,”
Captured in the 2021 mid-year budget review the allocation in addition to GHS36 million was released for the payment of consultancy fees, design, project management and coordination thus there is a need for accountability.
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“We are of the view that, barring corruption, it is highly untenable for government to spend such a colossal sum on a project for which we are told no mobilisation will be paid to contractors before the commencement of works.”
Raising other concerns, the Minority is also worried that monies allocated to the project is insufficient.
“Interestingly, although an allocation of GHS1,476 million was made for the provision of Health Infrastructure or Agenda 111 projects, the amount has been slashed by almost half to the current allocation of GHS779 million. How government expects to construct 101 district hospitals from GHS 779 million is a puzzle.”
Until these concerns are addressed, the Minority said it will have “doubts as to the government’s commitment to implementing Agenda 111 and also protecting the public purse.”
What is Agenda 111?
The President cut sod for the commencement of the project on Tuesday at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region.
The project is to improve the health sector in the country.
Already 100 million dollars has been set aside for the commencement of the project.
The government expects the projects to be completed within 18 months.
Each of the hospitals will cost $16.88 million, with $12.88 million being used for the construction of the hospitals and $4 million for medical equipment.