Dr Isaac Yaw Opoku, the Member of Parliament for Offinso South, on Tuesday contested the relocation of a proposed District Hospital from Offinso South to Akomadan in Offinso North.
The District Hospital forms part of the construction and equipping of 40-Bed District Hospitals, which are to be located at Ayensuano, in the Eastern Region, Effiduase and Offinso both in the Ashanti Region at the cost of €38,000,000.00.
Dr Opoku disputed the submission of Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, the Minister of Health, who announced during the consideration of the motion that there were fundamental errors in the transaction that needed correction and relocation.
“Mr Speaker, if you look at the motion, we are approving motion 23 for construction and equipping of 40-Bed district hospitals at Ayensuano, Edfiduase and Offinso.
“Mr Speaker the Offinso one should be Offinso North, we already have a CHAG hospital at Offinso and this is going to add on to another hospital at Offinso again when Offinso North hasn’t got a hospital. So, there is an omission there that should be Offinso North and, therefore, consequentially all the records should reflect Offinso North instead of just Offinso so that we locate this at Akomadan instead of Offinso again,” the Health Minister said.
However, Dr Opoku noted that the project was originally meant for Offinso South.
“Mr Speaker, I asked the minister and the minister said we have a hospital at Offinso South, St. Patrick’s Hospital.
“Mr Speaker, St. Patrick’s Hospital is not a government hospital, originally, this project is for Offinso South, Mr Speaker we will not agree, it is not fair why are we treating Offinso South like that? We won’t agree, they just called me from Offinso that they are taking the project from Offinso South.
“Mr Speaker we have gotten the land and everything we are not agreeing. Mr Speaker, it will not happen. Why? Offinso South ain’t we part of this country? Why? Everything you want to take Offinso out of it. Originally it was Offinso, I asked the minister and the minister said it is for Offinso South, Mr Speaker we are not agreeing,” Dr Opoku said on the floor of Parliament.
Mr Andrew Assiamah, the Second Deputy Speaker, who was at the time presiding over the business of the day, directed that there should be a hold on the motion.
The construction of the district hospitals is an agreement between the government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Health and the Golden Mainland Ghana Limited.
It would also see to the completion and equipping of the old Tafo Maternity and Kumasi South Maternity Blocks.
Source: GNA
