Kwahu residents demonstrate over abandoned Abetifi District hospital

The demonstration attended by hundreds of residents, including some Traditional leadership, was to remind the ruling government of the need to complete the 200-bed Abetifi District hospital project, which will also serve as a referral hospital for health facilities in the Kwahu Ridge upon completion.

The group convenor, Mr Godwin Ntiamoah, who addressed the media, said that all efforts made by chiefs and people in the area to get the Akufo Addo-led government to continue the project had not yielded a positive response.

He said in March this year, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong, assured during a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Kwahu, Nana Daasebre Akuamoah Agyapong II, at his palace in Kwahu-Abene that work will resume on the project soon as funds had been secured for its completion.

However, nothing has happened since.

The convener said Kwahus expected the government to capture the Abetifi hospital in Agenda 111 to demonstrate its commitment to the project, but the contrary was the case.

“A building that was near [its] completion stage, in fact, the building was roofed, look at how dilapidated the building is, now the building has become a habitat for animals and weeds. Why should we waste the taxpayers’ money? We voted, and what we deserve should be given to we the Kwahu people.”

“Historically, we the Kwahu people have not demonstrated before because we don’t depend on the government, we work hard and do developmental projects by our self, God has blessed the Kwahu people already. But look, we are talking about health issues here; once you eat, you can fall ill. We are not doing politics here; this is not NPP, NDC matter”.

The demonstrators said, “are we are giving the government from today, September 21 2021, an additional eighteen (18) months to complete the project else 2024, we won’t vote. The reason why we are giving the government 18 months is that the project is almost completed, and it should take the government less than 18 months to complete it”.

The group presented their petition to the Chief of Abetifi, Akyemfuor Asiedu Agyemang II, who doubles as Adontenhene of Kwahu Traditional Area.

The Abetifihene endorsed the demonstration stating that it is disheartening how the hospital project has been abandoned, depriving the area of quality healthcare. He pledged to forward the petition to the appropriate quarters.

Background

The government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Finance, signed a loan agreement with Barclays PLC of the United Kingdom amounting to $175 million to be utilized for the construction of six new district hospitals at selected locations and provide the Takoradi European Hospital with housing units.

The commercial contract was signed in 2012 with Messrs NMS Infrastructure Limited of the United Kingdom to design, construct and equip the six new district hospitals and one other and provide them with integrated Information Technology (IT) systems.

About $136,158,648 was initially disbursed, which led to the completion of some of the hospitals.

Disbursement of the rest of the $38,841,352 was, however, put on hold when the ruling New Patriotic Party took office in 2017 and commissioned a technical inquiry, which demanded a value for money audit, among others, stalling the other projects which had reached 50% completion stage.

The agreement which sort to correct Supply contract agreement inadvertently omitted was approved on June 8, 2021.