“I told the good people of Ghana that I am up to the task of running the country. I have fulfilled a number of campaign promises. I know we have a lot
to do. It is a four-year mandate and by the time my four years will be over, I would have fulfilled all my promises. I am not one of the politicians who
promises and fails to deliver. I will deliver on all my promises,” Akufo-Addo’s statement prior to 2016 and 2020 elections.
Section of Ghanaians are beginning to lose hope in the ruling New Patriotic Party Government for failing to honour its many promises made in the lead up to the 2016 and 2020 elections respectively.
It will be recalled that on 22nd July, 2020, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the commencement of construction of Phase One of the new 600-bed Eastern Regional Hospital, a project which was supposed to be completed in 36 months.
Today marks exactly one year since that sod cutting ceremony was held but no foundation or single block has been laid as evidence of commencement of work on the site.
Report reaching myrepubliconline.com indicates that the bare site has been fenced with aluminum roofing sheets and no contractor has reported to the site since the sod-cutting ceremony.
Some youth in Koforidua who spoke with Bryt Fm expressed their disappointment in Government for refusing to honour its promises.
The threatened to demonstrate to demand answers on why the project is delaying contrary to assurance by the President that funding was ready therefore the contractor was starting the project right after sod-cutting.
According to Bryt FM, conveners for a group calling itself Global Network for Bare -Facts (GNBF) Richard Etornam Nyarko expressed disappointment in President Akufo Addo for deception.
“It is a shameful development that is highly attached to the failures of this government. This government has been on the record label for making cheap promises and easy failure on the promises that they make”. Richard Nyarko told the media.
He added “Not even one person ever thought the first anniversary of those Hospitals President Akufo Addo so much of our money tripping down from Accra with his entourage to come and cut sod for the Regional Hospital telling us the people of Eastern region that funds have been secured from a certain bank in the UK and for that matter in 36 months we should see the elevation and Operationalization of that Hospital. Today the story is 100% different the only development that we have seen on those particular premises is the one-time clearing of the bushes until four or three months ago the whole place was like a forest that is what Nana Akufo told the people of the Eastern region”.
“Phase one of this new hospital project will involve the construction of a two hundred and eighty-five (285) bed facility, out of the total capacity of six hundred (600) beds. Once fully completed, it will be fitted with the requisite teaching and learning facilities, and will position the Eastern Region on the right side of the healthcare map of our country.” The President said.
When completed, the President stated that the new Eastern Regional Hospital will handle and help improve acute care and referral services, as well as lend support to the ever-expanding scope of primary healthcare facilities. Additionally, it will support the development of mutual health insurance organizations within the region and its districts.
He said, with the entire hospital project costing seventy million euros (€70 million), he told the gathering at the new project site, funding has already been secured from Standard Chartered Bank, UK, with credit guarantee support from the United Kingdom Export Financing (UKEF) to the tune of €7,920,000.00.
“Ghana continues to be grateful to UKEF for their continued support in our infrastructure development program for all sectors of our economy. I am happy to state that the entire funding amount of seventy million euros (€70 million) has already been secured for Tyllium U.K. Ltd, the contractors for this project. They must, therefore, ensure that this project is completed within the thirty-six (36) month period and on budget,” he added
With the hospital set to cover a total floor area of approximately 20,000 m2, it will be fitted with the following facilities: administration, training, conference and teaching facilities; out-patient department; accident and emergency services; adjunct clinical services (pharmacy, imaging with MRI); pathological services; surgical services, including the provision of seven (7) theatres and endoscopy; obstetrics and gynecology; in-patient wards; burns care unit; ICT installations and provision of Health Information Management System (HIMS); medical waste management system; and provision of mixed type accommodation units for hospital workers.
Hospital overstretched
The current 429-bed capacity Eastern Regional hospital has been in existence for about 100 years now and is the referral hospital in the Region that serves parts of the Volta and Ashanti Regions, with daily OPD attendance of about 700.
The hospital was originally built to serve the New Juaben Municipality however converted a Regional Hospital despite the limited facilities.
