Former Presidential Advisor on Health under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare has dismissed claims by President Mahama that an amount of $1.7 billion is needed to complete the Agenda 111 projects.
In an interview on Tuesday, March 4, Dr. Nsiah-Asare explained that initially an amount of $1.407 billion was required to complete the project, however, after making some payments, the amount reduced to $1.37 billion.
He noted that same amount was indicated in the handing over notes to the transition team.
“Even the President himself when he made the State of the Nation Address and said $1.7billion I was asking myself where from this figure. When we were writing the handing over notes at the end of October 2024, it was $1.407billion to complete, as at the end of December 2024, we did some payment so it was $1.37billion not $1.7billion he is talking about,” he told JoyNews.
His comment comes after President Mahama disclosed that the government requires $1.7 billion to complete and operationalize the remaining hospitals.
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Speaking at a meeting with the Christian Council, Mahama called on churches and religious organizations to partner with the government in finishing the stalled hospital projects.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare further stressed that it is government’s responsibility to look for resources to operationalize the commissioned hospitals under the Agenda 111 projects.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Nsiah-Asare explained that the commissioned hospitals at their current stages can be fully operationalized while government add on with equipment and staff later.
“A hospital which they have agreed is about 95% according to what they are saying can be commissioned and even operationalized. The OPD and other things can be used whiles you add on. When the laboratories and the OPD equipment and other things are there, people can go there.
“That’s exactly what has happened. So, it is incumbent on them as a sitting government to find resources and make it operational…I challenge them, they can start running the facility if they like,” he noted.
He urged government to allocate funds for the projects in its 2025 budget.
