Dr. Nicholas Zangina, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Team in the Upper East Region, has raised concerns about the status of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Agenda 111 project. While the initiative was intended to improve healthcare infrastructure, he argues that some of the supposedly completed facilities are not serving their intended purpose.
In an interview on A1 Radio, Dr. Zangina pointed out that some hospitals, although constructed, remain non-operational due to a lack of essential resources such as personnel, equipment, and operational funds. He argued that without these crucial elements, the project cannot be considered successful in achieving its healthcare goals.
“When you complete a structure and it is incapable of providing health services—either because there are no operational funds, no personnel assigned, or no equipment—then we cannot say that the project has achieved its purpose or objectives.”
The NDC communications member also questioned the substantial budget allocated for the project, revealing that an additional 1.7 billion Ghana cedis is still required for its completion. He emphasized that from the outset, the project lacked a clear source of financing, which has contributed to its delayed progress.
“As of today, we are budgeting that 1.7 billion cedis is needed for the successful completion of this project. It’s one thing to have a dedicated budget for the project, and another to have a source to finance that budget, which from day one was absent.”
Dr. Zangina further criticized the decision to construct 100-bed hospitals in every district, suggesting that the size and capacity of these facilities may not be necessary in all areas. He proposed that hospitals should be scaled according to the specific needs of each region and district, allowing for gradual development and future upgrades.
“We are looking at growth. I’m not against growth, but I am saying that we should start small. We can always upgrade them at any point in time.”
Reflecting on the project’s inception, Dr. Zangina asserted that the Agenda 111 initiative was poorly conceived and inadequately planned. He reiterated that, as of the end of President Akufo-Addo’s tenure, only one hospital had been completed, further underscoring the project’s slow pace and lack of effective execution.
“The whole idea was ill-conceptualized, it was poorly prepared, and by the time Akufo-Addo was leaving office, only one hospital had been completed.”
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Bolgatanga
