Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has issued a stirring call to the current administration, urging the government to prioritize the completion and operationalization of all stalled projects under the ambitious Agenda 111 healthcare initiative.
Speaking at the centenary celebrations of the Kyebi Government Hospital, organized by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional State, the former President framed the completion of these facilities as a matter of national necessity rather than political competition.
Launched in 2021, Agenda 111 was the Akufo-Addo administration’s direct response to the structural weaknesses exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “grand vision” sought to overhaul Ghana’s healthcare map by constructing 101 District Hospitals in areas previously underserved.
10 Regional and Specialized Hospitals, including facilities for the six newly created regions.
Two Psychiatric Hospitals and a National Infectious Disease Center.
The ultimate goal was to transform Ghana into a “Centre of Medical Excellence,” positioning the nation as the premier destination for medical tourism within the West African sub-region.
Addressing a gathering of traditional leaders, health officials, and citizens, the former President emphasized that the program was built on a “simple but powerful principle”: that no Ghanaian, regardless of their location, should be denied access to quality care.
”The Agenda 111 was designed to correct these imbalances by constructing district hospitals, regional hospitals, special and psychiatric facilities, and the rehabilitation of key health institutions across the country,” he stated.
In a rare moment of candid reflection, Akufo-Addo acknowledged that while the vision was vast, the execution faced the realities of time and resources.
”Let’s be honest that not every project was realized, not every project was completed,” he admitted, noting that many facilities had reached advanced stages of construction before his term ended.
The crux of the former President’s message was a plea for a shift in Ghana’s political culture, moving away from abandoning the projects of predecessors.
”Agenda 111 must be continuation,” he insisted. “Continuity, not destruction, is how health systems succeed.
What was built must be maintained, what was started must be completed, and what was left must not be lost. That is how progress is insured.”
By advocating for the completion of these “stalled” sites, Akufo-Addo underscored that the true beneficiaries are not political parties, but the millions of Ghanaians who still travel long distances for basic life-saving treatments.
As the debate over national infrastructure continues, the former President’s remarks at Kyebi serve as a reminder that the skeletons of half-finished hospitals represent more than just spent budget, they represent the delayed health and well-being of the districts they were meant to serve.
By 1960news.com
