Government praises Mahama for new Ridge Hospital project

The government of President Nana Akufo-Addo has applauded former President John Dramani Mahama for building the phase one of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital which was opened to public use Wednesday.

A ceremony was held to officially open the 420-bed capacity state of the art facility.

Speaking at the ceremony, Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu said “the nation is indeed grateful” to former President Mills and John Dramani Mahama who both “initiated and actually saw to the construction of the first phase of the hospital.”

The cost of the hospital construction dominated headlines in the run-up to the 2016 elections when the then opposition leader, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, attacked the then NDC government of inflating the cost of the project.

Candidate Akufo-Addo in his “real state of the nation” address delivered in February 2015 accused former President Mahama of inflating the cost of the project by $142 million.

The then government as well as Crown Agents Ghana Limited, the company contracted to conduct the value for money assessment, challenged his accusation.

They said the total contract price for the project was rather reduced by $142 million.

However, after taking over political power, the government of President Akufo-Addo has made a u-turn to praise the NDC government they had (NPP) criticized.

Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu in his address also lauded former President John Rawlings who constructed the main OPD block of the Ridge Hospital in the year 2000.

The Minister also noted that President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government would soon secure funding to commence the second phase of the project which will provide additional 200-bed to the already completed 420-bed.

The refurbished Greater Accra Hospital will now produce its own oxygen and also has a water reservoir that looks to end the perennial water shortage of the Hospital.

The Hospital can also boast of delivery suites, maternity wards, intensive care units and other modern facilities.