Hospitals built to 95% completion under NPP in 24 months have been left to rot for 23 months - Ekua

Dr Ekua Amoakoh, Spokesperson and Press Secretary to NPP presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of neglecting nearly completed hospitals inherited from the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, questioning why facilities that had reached between 90 and 100 per cent completion remain unopened after 23 months.

She also challenged the government's latest commitment to complete 35 Agenda 111 district hospitals in 2027, arguing that it has failed to fulfil a similar promise made in the 2026 Budget to complete 10 hospitals.

In a statement assessing the government's 2027 Budget on November 13, 2026, particularly pages 148–150 and 168, Dr Amoakoh said the previous NPP administration made significant progress on several Agenda 111 projects despite the difficult global economic conditions at the time.

She cited the hospitals at Trede, Kokoben and Ahanta West (Bokro), which she said had reached between 90 and 100 per cent completion within 18 to 24 months under the administration of Dr. Bawumia.

She further indicated that 35 district hospitals had reached between 70 and 90 per cent or more completion, naming Boamang, Nsuta, Kodie, Sowutoum, Abomosu and Akyem Swedru among the projects.

According to her, the current administration has failed to operationalise the facilities despite having spent 23 months in office, leaving communities that were expected to benefit from the projects without access to the intended healthcare services.

Dr Amoakoh's concerns centre on the GH¢100 million allocated in the 2026 Budget to complete 10 Agenda 111 hospitals. She argues that none of the 10 facilities has been opened to patients, raising questions about the government's ability to deliver on its commitments.

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She described the government's decision to allocate another GH¢1 billion in the 2027 Budget towards completing 35 district hospitals particularly troubling, given what she describes as the failure to fulfil the earlier promise.

“If you couldn't open 10 in 2026, why should Ghanaians believe 35 in 2027?” she questioned.

She maintains that the government must first account for the progress made on the hospitals earmarked for completion in 2026 before making fresh commitments to complete additional facilities.

The spokesperson also disputed the government's presentation of progress on other major health infrastructure projects, arguing that several of the facilities highlighted in the 2027 Budget were initiated and substantially developed under the previous NPP administration.

She specifically mentioned Enyiresi Hospital, which she put at 95 per cent completion, Obuasi and Anyinam hospitals at 86 per cent, and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Maternity Block at 65 per cent.

She insisted that the contribution of the previous administration to these projects must be acknowledged when government reports progress in the health infrastructure sector.

Dr. Amoakoh also drew attention to the La General Hospital project, which remains unfinished despite successive budgetary commitments. She noted that the project had again received an allocation of GH¢60 million in the 2027 Budget.

For her, the continued delay in completing these facilities raises serious questions about the government's priorities, particularly when several communities are still waiting for hospitals that were already at advanced stages of construction.

Beyond hospital infrastructure, Dr. Amoakoh raised concerns about the financing of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the recruitment of health professionals and the payment of nursing trainee allowances.

She cited GH¢9.93 billion as the amount budgeted for the NHIS, arguing that only GH¢2.1 billion had been paid in claims, while patients continue to complain about additional payments at health facilities.

She said the situation undermines the purpose of the health insurance scheme, which is intended to reduce the financial burden on patients seeking medical attention.

On health-sector recruitment, Dr Amoakoh questioned why 7,400 health professionals were reportedly still off the government payroll despite 16,000 workers having been cleared for recruitment.

She contrasted the situation with the GH¢40 million allocated for the construction of two new nursing training colleges, arguing that government must also address the challenges confronting already-trained and cleared health professionals awaiting placement.

She further cited the GH¢474 million budgeted for nursing trainee allowances in 2026, claiming that only GH¢231.36 million had been paid by July, representing less than half of the allocation.

Dr. Amoakoh also criticised the GH¢11 million allocation for e-Health, describing it as inadequate in comparison with the digital healthcare initiatives introduced under the previous administration, particularly the e-Pharmacy platform.

Dr Amoakoh insisted that the government's performance in the health sector should be measured by completed and operational facilities rather than budgetary allocations and repeated promises.

She argued that hospitals constructed to advanced stages under the previous administration should not remain unused while rural communities continue to struggle to access healthcare.

She maintained that the government cannot continue to make fresh commitments without explaining the status of projects it previously promised to complete.

“You mocked the vision, yet kept 90%-ready hospitals locked for 23 months,” she said.

She further emphasised that Ghanaians deserve functioning hospitals, properly resourced health facilities, timely payment of NHIS claims and the deployment of qualified health professionals, rather than another cycle of budgetary promises.

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