Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan
Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan has slammed the opposition National Democratic Congress for doubting the Akufo-Addo administration’s commitment to build and complete 111 hospitals in the country.
The President, cutting sod for the project in the Ashanti Region on Tuesday, August 17, promised Ghanaians his government will construct 111 hospitals, of which 88 will be completed in 18 months.
”So far sites have been identified for 88 of the 111 hospitals, and after cutting the sod, work on the other 87 sites will also commence today [Tuesday].”
“The acquisition of the remaining 13 sites will be completed shortly for work to begin. Each hospital is being constructed at a cost of $16.88 million, i.e. $12.88 million for construction and $4 million for medical equipment, and all the hospitals are to be completed in 18 months and works will begin on the regional and other hospitals in the latter part of the year,” he said.
But the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have little faith in the President as they believe he is only paying lip service to the Agenda 111 project.
Some members of the opposition party accused the government of spending over GH¢ 600 million before cutting sod for the project.
The NDC 2020 Presidential candidate, former President John Dramani Mahama also claims the project is “only an afterthought that suddenly they realized that they must be doing some infrastructure and Agenda 111 has been conjured with no transparency as to how the money for the projects are going to be procured”.
“Government should avert its mind and try to finish some of those projects including some of those that they themselves have initiated,” he added.
But Kwamena Duncan is the least surprised about the NDC claims as he alluded to some disparaging comments that the party passed about the President’s free SHS policy stating it couldn’t be done, yet the policy has been effectively implemented despite their opposing views.
He described the NDC as an “impossible party” – to wit, the party doesn’t believe anything is possible to do.
”This is not surprising because we have a party in this country that only thinks we can’t do it. It (NDC) is impossible party.”
Kwamena Duncan was of a strong opinion that just as the President made the free SHS possible, the Agenda 111 will also materialize.
Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, he offered prayers for the President saying, “my prayer is that, by the close of 2024 when Akufo-Addo will be handing over to an NPP President-elect, we would have completed all the 111 – 88 of them or so district hospitals. That is my prayer”.
He believed the President and his government aren’t moved by opposition but focused on the Agenda 111 which will surely come into fruition.