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Dr. Ekua Amoakoh, Spokesperson to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and spokesperson for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Health Committee has questioned the government’s decision to pursue new regional hospital projects instead of continuing plans initiated under the previous administration, accusing the health minister of abandoning work already undertaken.
Amoakoh criticised Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh in a Facebook post on Friday (3 July) after he announced plans to commence six new regional hospitals.
She argued that preparatory work for several regional hospitals had already been completed under the previous Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration as part of the Agenda 111 health infrastructure programme.
“It is deeply embarrassing when a sitting Minister of Health makes grand public announcements without reviewing the official handing over notes of the very program he is supposed to steer,” Amoakoh wrote.
According to her, five proposed 160-bed regional hospitals in Ahafo, Bono East, Western North, North East and Savannah regions had completed architectural and engineering designs and tendering processes before the change of government.
She said procurement was delayed because of International Monetary Fund-related restrictions on foreign borrowing while funding arrangements were being finalised.
Amoakoh also claimed funding arrangements for additional regional hospitals in the Oti and Western regions were already being supervised by the Ministry of Health before the transition.
She questioned why the government would seek to initiate new projects instead of proceeding with the existing plans.
“Why is the Minister so eager to abandon all the meticulous progress already made on these Agenda 111 hospitals?” she asked, alleging the move could be intended to facilitate the award of new contracts.
The opposition spokesperson also criticised the government’s handling of other health sector issues, including the cancellation of the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS), claiming it could lead to additional procurement costs.
She further accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of failing to fulfil campaign promises to construct hundreds of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds and provide automatic postings for newly qualified nurses.
Amoakoh said Ghanaians deserved competent leadership in the health sector and urged the minister to build on existing Agenda 111 preparations rather than begin new projects.
The Ministry of Health had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of writing.
The Agenda 111 programme was launched by the previous NPP administration to expand healthcare infrastructure across Ghana through the construction of hospitals and other health facilities. The current government has said it intends to continue improving health infrastructure while reviewing ongoing projects.
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