Construction works on the first Agenda 111 facility at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoman District in the Ashanti region is progressing steadily on schedule.
The facility is gradually taking shape with most of the physical structures erected.
The contractor has said the project is on schedule.
This came to light when the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and the Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare paid a working visit to the site on Thursday, June 29, 2023 to monitor the progress of work on the project which started on August 17, 2021.
The ministry also used the occasion to brief the media on the progress of work on all Agenda 111 projects throughout Ghana.
Graphic Online’s Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor reports from Trede that, the Minister of Information said so far, 88 contracts out of the 111 have been awarded and construction works have started on 54 of the projects.
Progress
Dr Nsiah-Asare said the monitoring team has, so far, visited 33 out of the 54 project sites and expressed satisfaction at the progress of work at all the sites.
On the average, he said, most of the contractors have done about 52 per cent of works on all the project sites visited and was hopeful that by the end of the year, the majority of them would be completed and commissioned.
So far, he said the Trede project was the one at advanced level of the completion with “62 per cent” of work completed. “We are sure of commissioning it by the end of the year [2023].”
Dr Nsiah Asare explained that even though most of the contracts were expected to be completed within 18 months, there were some delays due to some contractual issues but gave the assurance that majority of the projects would be completed within the reign of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
Agenda 111 project
The Ghana Health Infrastructure Project better known as the Agenda 111 project consists of the construction of 101 district hospitals in areas without district hospitals and the construction of two psychiatric hospitals for the middle and the southern belts, seven regional hospitals and the rehabilitation of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
Works were yet to start on the psychiatric hospitals for the middle and northern belts.
Termination of contract
Dr Nsiah-Asare has cautioned contractors working on the projects to speed up work or risk having their contracts terminated.
He said the government would not tolerate any delay on the project and called on the contractors working on the various projects to keep to the timelines.
Already, three contractors working in the Ashanti Region have had their contracts abrogated for failing to meet the key performance indicators.
“We won’t shy away from terminating the contract if a contractor fails to meet the performance indicators,” he warned.
Abandoned
He debunked the claims that the projects have been abandoned due to non-availability of funds.
He explained that due to the importance of the project, the government set up a special purpose vehicle to prosecute the projects.
So far, he said all the contractors who have submitted their certificates have been paid for the work done.
Ashanti Region
He said the projects have been zoned into eight zones and Ashanti region falls into Zone 8 and is benefiting from 17 out of the 111 projects.
While works have started on most of the projects within the region, he said some of the districts were yet to start due to some challenges with land.
As a result, he said the projects had to be redesigned from the single stack to a double stack storey building to make use of the available land.
He cited Asokore-Mampong, Bantama and Kwabenakwa as some of these districts having challenges with land for the project.
Notwithstanding the redesigning, he said all the projects would have the same facilities as the rest.
Jobs and training
The former Director General of Ghana Health Services said when completed, each facility would provide employment to not less than 100 health workers and indirect employment of 100 others and also create other business in the health value chain for the surrounding communities.
Again, he said the new facilities would also serve as a training ground for health workers and expand access to healthcare in the country.
Background
The president on August 17, 2021 cut the sod for the construction of the Agenda 111 hospital project.
Each hospital facility is planned as a single-story campus featuring Patient Reception & Processing, Administration, Pharmacy, Labs / Diagnostics, OPD, Physiotherapy, Public Health, Accident & Emergency, Surgical Ward, Paediatric Ward, Maternity Ward, Isolation Ward and four state of the art theatre for surgery.
There are provisions for a mortuary, waiting and security pavilions, accommodation facility for families and doctors (separated), a laundry, waste management and energy centre, kitchen, central store and maintenance yard.
Source:Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor|Daily Graphic
