“Don’t let $400m hospitals rot” — Asaase host demands action on Agenda 111

Host of the Asaase Breakfast Show, Ekow Essilfie, has raised alarm over the stalled Agenda 111 initiative, warning that hundreds of millions of dollars in public investment risk being wasted if urgent action is not taken.

In his “My Take” commentary on Tuesday (17 March), Essilfie described the situation as deeply troubling, noting that many of the hospital projects—once touted as Ghana’s most ambitious healthcare expansion programme—are now abandoned and deteriorating.

“Millions of dollars have already been spent—taxpayer money—and today many of these structures are left exposed to the elements,” he said.

Launched in 2021 under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Agenda 111 aimed to construct 111 health facilities across the country, including district and regional hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and the redevelopment of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.

Essilfie noted that the project was designed to address critical gaps in healthcare delivery, particularly exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure that no district would be without access to a modern hospital.

He added that, by the time of the change in government, construction had commenced on most of the projects, with some nearing completion. He cited publicly available figures indicating that about $400 million had already been spent—roughly a quarter of the estimated $1.4 to $1.7 billion total project cost.

He, however, criticised the current administration under President John Dramani Mahama, accusing it of failing to prioritise the programme despite earlier campaign assurances to continue it.

“Across two budgets, there has been no clear provision for Agenda 111,” he said, adding that ongoing audits by state institutions have yet to produce a definitive policy direction.

Essilfie further claimed that several facilities, including some commissioned in late 2024, have been left idle, with contractors abandoning sites due to unpaid bills, leading to job losses among construction workers and engineers.

“These hospitals should be treating patients, but instead they are becoming monuments to political change,” he stated.

He emphasised that the issue transcends partisan politics, arguing that critical national infrastructure projects must be continued regardless of changes in government.

“Hospitals are not campaign tools or party property—they are public goods,” he said, pointing to the continued struggles of many communities to access quality healthcare.

Describing the situation as a “national scandal,” Essilfie warned that abandoning partially completed projects would ultimately cost the country more in the long term.

He urged the government to either commit to completing the programme or adopt alternative strategies, including private sector participation through structured concessions or public-private partnerships.

Among the options he proposed were build-operate-transfer models, tax incentives for investors, and guarantees under the National Health Insurance Scheme to ensure affordability.

“Solutions exist. What should not exist is abandonment,” he stressed.

Essilfie concluded by calling on government to make a clear decision on the future of Agenda 111, warning that failure to act would undermine public trust and waste significant national resources.

“The Ghanaian taxpayer has already invested $400 million. That money must not become concrete ruins scattered across the country,” he said.