Agenda 111- Give Akufo-Addo the benefit of the doubt – Elvis Botah

The Deputy National Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Elvis Banoemuleng Botah has waded into ongoing discussions about the feasibility of the agenda 111 hospitals projects being under taken by the government.

According to him, although concerns raise by the public and the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) were legitimate, the president deserves to be accorded the benefit of the doubt.

That he said was because he had been able to operationalized fully, the Free Senior High School(SHS) project which suffered same skepticism during it introduction and was hopeful the agenda 111 could also be realized if given the benefit of the doubt.

The NPP loyalist made the comment on Pan African TV’s current affairs programme, Good Morning Africa on Wednesday, August 18, monitored by GhanaPlus.com.

He said for a country known for numerous abandoned projects, skeptics had every reasonable cause to express fear in such capital intensive ventures and also with the time frame set for it completion when resources were not readily available.

“……I think that the president should be given the benefit of the doubt because as for the fears coming up they are legitimate fears. As for the concerns, they are legitimate concerns for anybody to think that 111 is not practical, especially so within the timeline set.. ….We should give his Excellency the president the benefit of the doubt because even free SHS which undoubtedly have contributed immensely to the educational revolution of Ghana was doubted,” he said.

Agenda 111 Commence

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo on Tuesday, August 17, cut the sod for 111 hospitals to be built across the country.

The project dubbed agenda 111 hospitals, initially agenda 88 hospitals is expected to design, build, equip and staff new hospitals in every district without one at a cost $16.88 million,  $12.88 of which for the construction and $4 million for medical equipment.

The project would also provide new regional hospitals in every region which had none at the moment.

However, the project since it announcements had received several concerns from the public, the opposition, National Democratic Congress(NDC) most especially, about its feasibility.

They raised concerns about funds for the financing of the project, several others which had been abandoned and others which had not seen the light of day yet after sods were cut by the President.

The party have also raised concerns about the 18month timelines set for the completion of the project.

Source: GhanaPlus.com