The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has secured funding from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GAPOHA) for the construction of a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound at Beongo, a suburb of the Soe community in the Bolgatanga Municipality.
The project was officially handed over to a contractor to commence work, marking the fulfillment of a campaign promise the MP made to residents during the 2024 general elections. Speaking at the site, Mr. Adongo said the intervention was in direct response to concerns raised by community members, particularly women, during the electioneering period.
“This project is in response to a direct request from this community during the 2024 electioneering campaign. When we arrived here, the majority of the people who came to listen to us were women, and they told us their biggest concern was the absence of a facility to weigh their children,” he said.
He explained that following consultations with traditional leaders and community stakeholders, it became clear that the community needed more than a temporary solution. As an interim measure, he said a makeshift structure was provided in December 2024 to serve as a baby-weighing shed, with the assurance that a permanent health facility would follow.
“Having considered the location of the community and the kind of services they require, we realized they needed something more comprehensive than just a weighing center. That is why this facility is not only for weighing babies, but also for family planning, reproductive health services, antenatal care and first aid,” Mr. Adongo noted.
The MP stressed that the project is particularly critical in a region that continues to record high maternal mortality rates. “Safe delivery does not start at the point of delivery. It starts with antenatal care and all the preparatory services that ensure the safety of the mother. This facility is meant to provide that support,” he added.
Mr. Adongo disclosed that GAPOHA approved GH¢500,000 for the project, which is being complemented with GH¢200,000 from his share of the District Assemblies Common Fund, bringing the total project cost to GH¢700,000.
“We are very grateful to GAPOHA. We don’t have a sea here, but they have seen the need to extend their corporate social responsibility to benefit a community far away from the coast. That is a good example of a national institution thinking beyond geography,” he said.
He indicated that the CHPS compound forms part of a broader strategy to mobilize support beyond central government, revealing that additional interventions are expected from institutions such as the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund, the Mineral Development Fund and the Ghana Commercial Bank. He also noted that the National Investment Bank had already sponsored the drilling of three boreholes in the constituency.
The MP said the contractor has been given three months to complete the project and urged the community to support the work while monitoring quality. He also encouraged the youth in the area to take advantage of employment opportunities the project presents.
he Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Roland Atanga Ayoo, commended the MP for bringing healthcare closer to the people. He described the project as a significant boost to health delivery in the municipality.
A resident of Beongo, Alenyorike Priscilla, recounted the challenges pregnant women face in accessing healthcare services. She expressed optimism that the situation would improve once the facility is completed.
“When this CHPS compound is finished, the difficulties women go through to access healthcare will be a thing of the past,” she said.
The project, which comprises a delivery room, ward, consulting room, store room and nurses’ quarters, has been awarded to M/S Nayi-Kuu Company Limited. The contractor, Joseph Nayi-Kuu Gandaa, is expected to complete the facility within three months.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1Mhz | Joshua Asaah | Beongo
