National Coordinator of the One District One Factory (1D1F) programme and Former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry under the Kufuor administration, Gifty Ohene-Konadu, has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of peddling falsehood about major infrastructure projects in the country.
The NDC, she said, is claiming to be initiators of many hospital projects ongoing under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and accusing the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of abandoning such projects.
According to her, the most recent of such blatant lies that badly exposed the party is the claim it birthed the Konongo District Hospital Project.
Setting the records straight in a write-up, however, the former Deputy Minister stated that the project started under the NPP government of 2000 to 2008 led by the venerable John Agyekum Kufuor.
She said, “In April 2008, the Government of His Excellence President J A Kufour signed an MOU with Euroget De-Invest to design, engineer, construct, and equip some nine(9) hospitals with a total capacity of 1310 beds.”
“The Commercial and Financial agreements for the projects received Cabinet and Parliamentary approvals on the 29th of October 2008 and the 12th of November 2008, respectively.”
According to her, the other hospitals under the project are the Wa Regional Hospital, Ga East Municipal Hospital, the Tain District Hospital, the Ahafo -Ano North Municipal Hospital, the Twif-Atti Morkwa District Hospital, the Military Hospital at Afari, Regional Hospital at Sewua and the Salaga District Hospital.
She averred that the NDC, which failed to complete these projects during its time in power between 2009 and 2016 are now laying claim to the projects.
“It is therefore not only intrinsic to point out such palpable lies perpetuated by a party with sinking credibility, but to also state that the Akufo-Addo led government has over the period ensure the construction of these projects, which promise to be essential to health delivery in the country when completed,” she added.
According to her, in its almost 13 years in power, the NPP has proven to be a party that does not only initiate and implement policies essential to improving the living conditions of Ghanaians, but has also proven to be experts in engineering projects that elevates the nation’s infrastructural development.
President Akufo-Addo, she said, understanding the importance of infrastructure and effective policy implementation to his longstanding vision of a developed Ghana, established a Monitoring Evaluation Ministry now a Secretariat to track and expedite the implementation of government flagship programmes and policies.
“The Secretariat as part of its mandate, continues to work assiduously to protect the legacy of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and by extension the enviable legacy of the venerable President John Agyekum Kufuor.”
“It is important to note that the 2000-2008 tenure of an NPP government led by President Kufuor started what has become an NPP legacy of initiating and implementing far-reaching policies that significantly contributed to improving the living conditions of the average Ghanaian.”
“The NPP government of 2000-2008 also undoubtedly led an era of great development in the country’s infrastructure for healthcare delivery,” she stated.
She averred that the Konongo District Hospital project, which is expected to be ready in a month, is at a completion level of 98% and so are the other eight projects at various significant levels of completion.”
The Hospital is also equipped with modern installation and a wide range medical capacity. It is expected to serve as a referral facility while absorbing some pressure off the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.”
“It will run Dental, Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Pediatric, Gynecology and Orthopedic clinics along with four operating theaters and a complementary 10-unit staff accommodation facility.”
“The hospital also has a mini market, staff dining facility, a kitchen, pharmacy, physiotherapy unit, a housing accommodation for lactating mothers and a mortuary.”
She noted that the Akufo-Addo government, with all these facilities ongoing in various projects, is committed to the development of health infrastructure in the country and has also initiated the Agenda 111 project through the project implementation committee (PIC) headed by the Hon Chief of Staff.
This, she said, is set to be the biggest infrastructural investment in Ghana’s health sector in recent times.