By:Isaac Amoah
A newly established policy think tank – the Liberal Institute for Policy Studies (LIPS) – has revealed that all indicators show the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has outperformed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as far as health delivery system in the Ashanti Region is concerned.
“The record of the NPP in the Ashanti Region on health infrastructural development and delivery is stronger than that of the NDC. The NDC did not complete and commission a single hospital in the region in its eight-year term when John Mahama served as a vice-president and, subsequently, a president.
“Secondly, the NDC did not complete a single hospital it inherited from any of the
previous governments in its 8 years when John Mahama served as vice-president and,
subsequently, a president.
“In contrast, the NPP has completed six out of the eight hospitals the government inherited. The NPP has completed five out of the 24 hospitals the government has initiated. The government has also completed five specialised projects.”
Dr.Keskine Owusu Poku addressing the Media
The above revelations were contained in a statement read by the Executive Director of LIPS, Dr. Keskine Owusu Poku, at a press conference to officially ‘outdoor’ the think tank and its published first research work.
The well-attended press conference was held at Yagola Hotel in Kumasi on Tuesday, 23rd April 2024.
The policy think thank provided a power point intellectual analyses of hospital infrastructural projects inherited, completed and commissioned between the NPP and the NDC for eight years period.
The executive summary of the presentation highlighted projects on health infrastructural development and delivery in the Ashanti Region.
Dr. Keskine, therefore, urged the media to focus more on developmental projects to help ensure issues-based campaign ahead of the 2024 general election.
He disclosed that before the NPP took over office, the Ashanti Region had only five ambulances but only two were functioning. But through the implementation of the ambulance programme, Ashanti Region got additional 19 ambulances.
The full text of the statement reads:
PRESS STATEMENT ON HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY IN THE ASHANTI REGION
BY THE LIBERAL INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES
Introduction
Good morning ladies and gentlemen from the press, fellow Directors at LIPS and all
other protocol observed.
The LIBERAL INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES (LIPS)
is a centre-right think tank. While we believe on conservatism, property-owning
democracy and the liberties of individuals to pursue their God given talents as away
of contributing to the betterment of society, we are not lost on the fact that the politics
of the state and policy decisions must and should shape the development of our
society. Though government policies are made at the national level, it is an
established policy logic that policies must have localised relevance. There is no
relevance in having an excellent policies on paper if they cannot and do not lead to the
provision of quality health infrastructure, good roads, enhanced security and good
governance in our communities. Hence, LIPS takes a bottom-up approach in a not-too
complicated manner that examines policy and development outputs across the various
regions of Ghana.
As we get closer to the elections 2024, many are left with the critical question as to
what should determine who wins the 2024 elections. Should it be based just on
rhetoric, manifesto, name calling or a critical examination of the development that
each party has delivered across the regions of Ghana? With the gamut of promises
that the two main parties are making ahead of the 2024 elections, it is imperative to
have a fair unbiased appreciation of the facts of their delivery in the respective regions
as a benchmark for examining competence, trust and responsiveness to the needs of
the citizenry.
Luckily, the two leaders of the main political parties have served at the high offices of
Vice President or higher in the last 8 years afforded their parties in the last 16 years.
The evidence of delivery in the respective sectors of the state by the two parties provides an important foreshadow of the level of trust we can commit to their
promises. LIPS commits to providing factual sector by sector analysis of the
performance of the two main parties across the 16 Regions of Ghana. Attention will
be paid to the Health, Educational, Road, Trade/Industry/Commerce, Energy,
Governance/Security/Local Government, among others.
Summary of work
LIPS sets the ball rolling with the health infrastructure development and delivery in
the Ashanti Region over the last 16 years.
A careful study of the hospital projects in
the Ashanti region from January 7, 2009 to April 2024 points to 41+1 hospital
projects in the Ashanti Region. All these hospitals projects were visited to ascertain
the level of work. Contractors on these project sites (ongoing) were also interviewed
to understand the status of some of the ongoing projects. Additional, government
officials and public servants with direct responsibility for the completion and
commissioning of these projects were also interviewed. Lastly, attention was also paid
to official documentation from Parliament and the Ministry of Health. In analysing
the data, we categorised the variables for analysis into 3.
⚫ First, how many hospital projects were inherited from previous regimes as at the
time of assuming office on January 07, 2009 (NDC) and January 07, 2017 (NPP).
Out of these, how many were completed? Out of the completed number, how
many are commissioned for use and actively working?
⚫ The second variable looks at the number of hospitals that were initiated within the
8 years each government was in office. How many of such hospitals were
completed and how many out of the completed hospitals have been
commissioned for use?
⚫ The last variable looks at specialised hospital projects which may have been
initiated by a government agency in the region, embedded with a hospital or
developed for a specialised function. Out of these initiated projects, how many
were completed and commissioned for use. A special case is made about the
Maternal and Child block at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
The project credited to the Rebecca Akufo-Addo Foundation with the support of
Corporate Ghana. That said, her connection to the current regime cannot be
underestimated.
Now we turn to the findings of the project, in the same order as the variables were
presented.
- INHERITED PROJECTS
NDC did not complete any hospital project inherited from previous governments in
the Ashanti Region in their 8 years (January 07, 2009 to January 06, 2017). These
hospitals include the Bekwai hospital from the Acheampong regime, the 4 Euroget
projects from the Kufour regime (Konongo, Tepa, Sewua and Afari) and the 800 bed
KNUST Teaching Hospital. None of these hospital projects were completed from
January 07, 2009 to January 06, 2017. Hence, none was commissioned. The NDC
sought for funding for Bekwai hospital in 2010 and secured same in 2012. However,
the NDC could not finish the hospital project. On Euroget projects that started in 2008,
the NDC revisited the project in 2014. As at the time of leaving office, none was
completed.
The 800 bed KNUST Teaching Hospital was entirely abandoned in the 8
years of the NDC. Though the project started with Internally Generated Funds (IGF)
from the University, it got no support from the central government despite calls for
support from the Chancellor of KNUST, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in 2012.
In a sharp contrast, the NPP sought additional funding in 2019 to complete the agelong Bekwai district hospital and commissioned same for use in 2021. Out of the 4
Euroget projects, 3 have been completed with 2, Konongo and Tepa district hospitals,
in use. A power transmission sub-station for the Sewua Regional Hospital is almost
complete. For the hospital structure and installations, all are completed. The 500 bed
Afari Military Hospital is about 95% and work is ongoing in earnest to complete and
commission same for use. Regarding the 800 bed KNUST Teaching Hospital which
was abandoned for 8 years under the NDC, the NPP government has secured a loan of
€80 million for the continuation and completion of the project. In addition to these,
the Fomena and Kumawu District Hospitals which were inherited from the NDC have
also been completed. Fomena Hopsital is currently in use and Kumawu District
Hospital was handed over to the Assembly in the second week of April and expected
to be in use in May according to the District Chief Executive, Hon. Addai Agyekum.
- HOSPITALS INITIATED BY RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS
NDC did not complete and commission any of the hospital the NDC government
initiated in the Ashanti Region from 2009 to 2016. The NDC, initiated 2 hospitals, the
Fomena and Kumawu District Hospitals, under the NMS projects in 2014. None of
these got completed. On the other hand, in the last 8 years, the NPP has initiated 24
new hospital, with 19 under the Agenda 111 and 5 under VAMED. While all 5 project
under VAMED (Sabronum, Manso Nkwanta, Suame – Anomange, Drobonso and
Twedie) are completed and handed over to government, the 19 Agenda 111 projects
are at various stages of completion. -
SPECIALISED PROJECTS INITIATED
In a search for other monumental projects “within” hospitals or that supports critical
health care delivery, the Eye Centre was counted for the NDC from January 07, 2009
to January 06, 2017 at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Luckily, they managed
to complete and commission it for use. On the other hand, the NPP counts 10 major
health infrastructure initiatives that support and assist in the delivery of health in the
Ashanti Region.
Specifically, the Mother and Baby Unit is the legacy of the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca
Akufo-Addo, who through her ingenuity and leadership raised funds from corporate
Ghana to build. Additionally, 5 of these specialised projects are also completed and 4
are in use. The completed ones are the Patase Police Hospital (by the Police Service),
Treatment and Quarantine Facility (Chirapatre), Comprehensive Treatment and
Quarantine Facility (Sewua), Zipline Medical Drone Delivery, 1 Constituency 1
Ambulance. It is interesting to note that before the 1 constituency 1 ambulance project
in Ashanti Region, the Region could boost of only 2 working ambulances out of 5.
Today, Ashanti Region has 48 Ambulances, out of which one is dedicated to each of
the 47 constituencies and 1 dedicated to the Kumasi Sport Stadium. The Medical
Drone Delivery Service is also helping to deliver needed medical supplies to
hinterland in the Ashanti Region.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, the record of the NPP in the Ashanti Region on health infrastructure
development and delivery is stronger than that of the NDC.
The NDC did not
complete and commission a single hospital in the Ashanti Region in their 8 years
where John Mahama served as a Vice President and subsequently, a President.
Secondly, the NDC did not complete a single hospital it inherited from any of the
previous governments in its 8 years where John Mahama served as Vice President and
subsequently, a President. In contrast, the NPP has completed 6 out of the 8 hospitals
the government inherited. The NPP has completed 5 out of the 24 hospitals the
government has initiated. The government has also completed 5 specialised projects.
