Ghc636m Released For Akufo Addo’s Promised 88 Hospitals Not Used

The Ministry of Finance has responded to demands by the Minority in Parliament to explain the whereabouts of Ghc636million that was approved by Parliament towards the construction of 88 health facilities across the country in 2020, admitting that the money was never used.

This is why the Akufo Addo administration failed woefully to construct a single one of the 88 district hospitals it promised Ghanaians in 2020.

In a press release issued by Public Relations Unit, the Ministry admitted that in 2020, an amount of GH¢600million was released into the Health Infrastructure Account at Bank of Ghana (BoG) to support the implementation of the District and Regional Hospitals Projects.

“The said amount had been released into the project account at the BOG but not utilized yet. Project commencement has just begun. So far, only GH¢36million has been released as part of pre-construction mobilization,” the statement explained.

Dated August 9, 2021, the statement further clarified that now that the actual execution of the project is afoot, following a commencement launch the money will now be utilised.

“Following the commencement of actual project execution as evident in the sod-cutting ceremony of 17th August 2021, we expect to drawdown various amounts from the account which would be managed by the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIF),” stated the Ministry of Finance.

The statement pointed out that as highlighted in the Mid-Year Review Statement, Agenda 111 is expected to be in two phases – Pre-Contract Works and Construction and Execution of projects.

On Wednesday, the Minority in Parliament said in a press statement that the government received Ghc636million for Agenda 111 in 2020 even though its commencement was launched in August 2021.

The Minority added that as captured in the 2021 mid-year budget review, GH¢36 million was released for the payment of consultancy fees, design, project management and coordination.

“The Minority is of the view that government has some explaining to do on how it spent GH₵636 million as detailed in Appendix 4D and 4E of the 2021 mid-year budget review. Per the appendices, some GH₵36 million has been spent on project designs, consultants and coordinators this year, however, the sum of GH₵600 million released and utilised in 2020 has no details whatsoever.”

Meanwhile, following the response from the Ministry, the Minority which says it has been denied documents on the project upon several requests has promised to cross-check the Ministry’s claim.