General News of Monday, 4 May 2020

Source: 3news.com

60-bed Salaga hospital on course - MP dismisses Mahama’s claims

More than 3 contractors have worked on the project More than 3 contractors have worked on the project

The Member of Parliament for Salaga South Constituency, Adam Braimah Salifu, has debunked claims by former President John Mahama that work on a 60-bed capacity hospital in Salaga has stalled.

According to him, work has been steadily progressing since the New Patriotic Party (NPP) took over office in 2017.

The project since its commencement has had more than three contractors working on it.

Venus Allukin Is the fourth contractor on site.

Former President John Mahama in his recent Facebook live interaction last Thursday claimed in Gonja that President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government has abandoned most of his projects with specific emphasis on the new 60-bed capacity Salaga hospital.

“The NPP government since coming into office in 2017 has abandoned all my hospital projects I started especially the 60-bed capacity Salaga hospital,” the former president said in Gonja.

But the Member of Parliament for Salaga South, Adam Braimah Salifu, who is also the Savannah Regional Minister, has debunked the former president’s claims.

According to him, he recently visited the site and work was ongoing.

“I do not know which project the former President is referring to but the 60-bed hospital in Salaga is steadily progressing because I visited the place a few days ago.

“When was the last time he visited the site since leaving office to make that claim?” he quizzed.

A visit to the site revealed work was indeed ongoing.

Existing structures were being roofed as other activities were also ongoing.

A truck full of construction materials worth over $1 million were being offloaded.

Checks from the workers on-site revealed, they have been working every day since taking over the contract.

One of the workers, who spoke on anonymity, mentioned work is about 85 percent complete and gave the assurance, they can finish it in seven months if there is no lockdown again.

The Euroget Project

In 2008, Euroget De-Invest s.a (EDI) of Egypt, the Egyptian capital investment company, with special expertise in structuring and arranging project finance and investment initiatives, entered Ghana and prospected for social infrastructural projects, specifically hospitals.

The project involved the construction of nine modern fully functional hospitals including a 500-bed military hospital, two regional hospitals in Wa and Kumasi, and six district hospitals at Salaga, Twifo Praso, Madina (now at Atomic/Kwabenya), Konongo, Nsawkaw and Tepa.

Euroget De-Invest successfully went through the regulatory processes and duly procured the contract, after processing the same through the various ministries, Cabinet and Parliamentary approvals in 2008.