Sunyani (B/A), Feb. 21, GNA - The National Health Insurance Authorit= y (NHIA) transferred GH¢82,858,317.43 to Brong-Ahafo Region for the payment= of claims by service providers in 2009/2010, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister has said.

He said in 2009 an amount of GH¢29,802,164.24 was also transferred t= o the scheme in the region, representing 88.38 per cent more than the GH¢15,820,016.30 provided in 2008. Mr Nyamekye Marfo was speaking in Sunyani at the sod-cutting ceremony to commence the construction of a one-storey regional office for the NHIA. He stressed that the project was another commitment of the Government to improve the work of the Authority to enable it to serve the people better. Contracts have been awarded for the construction of offices for the other nine regional schemes, he added. The Regional Minister appealed to the management of the Scheme to reciprocate the efforts of the Government by improving their services to beneficiaries. He asked service providers to also improve the delivery of accessible and quality health-care to the people and advised them against falsificatio= n of claims and to ensure the timely submission of claims to facilitate the prompt release of funds. Mr Nyamekye Marfo expressed the hope that quality work would be done b= y the construction firm, Yanator Ghana Limited, a Wa-based building company t= o achieve value for money.

Mr Foster Agyei Korang, Regional Manager of the Authority, gave assurance the consultants and the contractor would use quality materials to execute the project within the expected duration of completion. He disclosed that the project would cost about GH¢650,000.