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Facing Parliament’s Appointments Committee earlier today, Wednesday, February 10, 2021, he said the President’s pledge was a vision.
He noted that a committee was set up for this purpose, adding that the district assemblies that are supposed to provide lands for the hospitals are yet to complete their work.
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“What the president said was his vision and that should have translated to actual work,” Mr. Agyeman-Manu said during his vetting, as quoted by Starrfm.com.gh.
“Indeed some work was done, a committee was set up at the presidency chaired by the Chief of Staff and I was a member…we wrote to district assemblies for land and site plans but as we speak 13 of those assemblies are yet to complete their work…and that is why we are where we are.”
It will be recalled that in April 2020, President Akufo-Addo his government would begin the construction of 88 hospitals in the 88 districts to boost health delivery across the country.
This was after the country recorded its first wave of Coronavirus infections, with hospitals flooding with patients.
Giving a breakdown, the President said 10 hospitals would be built in the Ashanti region, nine in the Volta region, nine in the Central region, eight in the Eastern region and seven in the Greater Accra region.
He said seven more would be built in Upper East, five each in the Northern, Oti, Upper West and the Bono regions, while four will be built in the Western North and Western regions.
Meanwhile, the Ahafo and Savannah regions would have three district hospitals, two in Bono East, and two more in North East Regions, he said.
However, almost a year to the day when the promise was made, not a single hospital has been completed by the government.
Mr. Agyeman-Manu said although the construction of the hospitals has delayed, the government still has plans of making it happen.