Akufo-Addo is just using regular coronavirus updates to campaign - Akandoh

Ranking Member on Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has said the regular COVID-19 updates by the President is only been done for campaign purposes.

The National Democratic Congress member said this on the back of the President's assurance that government will embark on the construction of some 94 hospitals within a year to beef up Ghana's health sector.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in his 8th national address to the nation on measures his government is taking to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic said 88 district and 6 regional hospitals would be constructed within a year.

This declaration has been met with mixed feelings, while some believe this could be done, others think it will be a fruitless venture because it will be impossible for a government who has not been able to build a single hospital to build 94 within a year.

Mr Akandoh, however, believes this was a campaign message from the President who is using the regular updates for such venture.

He said because he is unable to go to the field and campaign his option is now to use these COVID-19 updates

"The construction of the 88 hospitals or so has nothing to do with COVID-19. I don't think you want to imply that COVID-19 will linger on for an additional 1 year. At this point in time what I have realized is that the President is hiding behind COVID-19 update to do general campaign because he has realised he has not gotten the opportunity to go to the field and campaign so that is exactly what he is doing. If you refer to page 53 of their 2016 manifesto they indicated they were going to upgrade all district hospitals and where there is none build one, unfortunately, 3 and half years have gone and they have not built even one so we think that if you tell me you want to use one year to build all these you will be subjected to scrutiny,"

Professor of Finance at the University of Ghana Business School Godfred Bokpin has stated that the government’s promise to construct 94 new hospitals within a year is impossible.

He explained that the reeling effect of Covid-19 on the economy will make this the materialization of this plan very difficult.

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