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0 President John Dramani Mahama has revealed that approximately $400 million was spent on the Agenda 111 hospital project under the previous NPP administration without a single facility being fully operational.
He made this statement during his maiden State of the Nation Address in his second term before Parliament on February 27.
President Mahama was not happy about the lack of progress on the ambitious healthcare initiative, which was launched to bridge the country’s healthcare infrastructure gap.
“It is worth disclosing that USD 400 million has already been disbursed under the Agenda 111 project,” President Mahama said. “Yet, not a single hospital under this gargantuan initiative is serving the people of Ghana.”
Agenda 111 was designed to construct 111 hospitals across the nation to enhance healthcare accessibility and delivery. However, President Mahama’s remarks indicate that despite the significant financial commitments, none of the hospitals have been completed and made operational.
The President stated that the amount already spent could have facilitated the completion and operationalisation of at least 22 of the proposed hospitals if resources had been utilised efficiently.
“Mr. Speaker, for the record, as I speak, not a single Agenda 111 hospital is operational in any part of Ghana. At a rate of approximately $18m per hospital, the US$ 400 million spent could have completed at least 22 hospitals for Ghanaians. We will now require GHS 22 billion to complete the projects,” he said.
His statement has sparked discussions about accountability and the efficiency of public expenditure in major infrastructural projects.
Many Ghanaians are now calling for a thorough audit to ascertain how the funds were allocated and whether mismanagement contributed to the delays.
The government is expected to provide further clarification on the status of the project and measures being taken to ensure the completion of the hospitals in a timely manner.
President Mahama said, “I have tasked the Minister for Health to present a plan on the way forward for this programme. Let me add that we are open to public-private partnerships and franchising to complete and operationalise these hospitals.”
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The post $400m spent on Agenda 111 project without a single hospital ready for use – Mahama first appeared on 3News.
