President Nana Akufo-Addo
President Nana Akufo-Addo has stated that the government’s 111 hospitals project is a ‘Ghana First’ Agenda that will help bring jobs to the youth.
Speaking at a sod-cutting ceremony for the commencement of works in Trede, in the Atwima Kwawoma district of the Ashanti Region, President Akufo-Addo said the Agenda 111 hospitals project has been carefully thought out to inspire activity and growth in various sectors of the economy.
“First the consortium comprising 20 Ghanaian consulting firms, made up of architects, quantity surveyors, bio-medical engineers and other technical teams, have designed these hospitals to reflect our unique domestic requirements, including impact of climate, socio-cultural conditions and traditional practices,” he said.
The President further indicated that the consortium will also supervise the construction of the hospitals which will be built by some 150 domestic contractors and maintained by domestic facility management professionals, as part of governments policy of developing domestic capability in the building and construction sectors of the economy.
“This will undoubtedly help retain most of the money in the country, to engender further investment in the economy,” he added.
He said the hospitals are of a standard design and construction, to provide a blueprint for speedy and cost-effective implementation of future health infrastructure programmes in the country.
In April 2020, during a live telecast of a national Covid-19 update by the President, he announced this administration’s resolve to construct district hospitals for outstanding 101 districts with no such facilities.
The projects, as he announced, are scheduled to be executed within 12 months of commencement.
In total, 101 District Hospitals, 2 Specialized Hospitals for the Middle and Northern belt, redevelopment of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, 6 new Regional Hospitals, and 1 extra-regional hospital for the Western Region shall be delivered under this program.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri