Dr. Frank Amoakohene, Ashanti Regional Minister
Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, has debunked assertions by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) that the Sewua Regional Hospital and other health facilities under the Agenda 111 projects are ready for operationalisation.
Speaking on Luv FM, the regional minister argued that the facilities, as widely claimed to have been completed under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration, are false, as many of them lack the resources to run as health facilities.
“The NPP went ahead to commission the project when the government had not actually taken possession of the site. The place was bushy when they commissioned it. All these hospitals, including Oforikrom, aren’t completed to even talk of operationalisation,” he noted.
He explained the government is finding funds for contractors to procure medical equipment and other installations to fully and formally operationalise the facilities.
“The completion depends on securing funds for the contractors to finalise their installations and complete the brick-and-mortar works. 10 of the Agenda 111 hospitals will be prioritised so that money can be provided to contractors and these facilities can be completed for use this year,” he said.
The minister banked hopes on the finance minister finding financial resources to complete these projects, as captured in the 2026 budget statement.
Dr. Amoakohene has also been providing updates on other health facilities in the region, including work on Afari Military Hospital and the KNUST Medical Centre, which has been abandoned for 18 years now.
He explained that the Afari Military hospital, due to its years of neglect, has accrued costs, prompting renegotiations with the contractor as the Defence Ministry explores other financing options.
“Afari’s project falls under the Defence Ministry. The variations and accrued costs from years of neglect are substantial, requiring renegotiation with the contractor and exploration of new funding models to complete the project,” he noted.
He highlighted that the KNUST Medical Centre has been absorbed by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for its completion.
The facility has been of keen interest to the Asantehene, who has on several occasions called for its immediate completion to aid with medical teaching and also ease congestion at other major health facilities in the region.
“These are all projects that were neglected as far back as 2008, 2012, and 2016, but I assure you, we will not neglect them further. We are committed to completing them,” Dr. Amoakohene assured.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
