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Social Commentator, Allotey Jacobs, has admonished the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to cease its verbal attacks against President Nana Akufo-Addo over the latter's pledge to construct 88 district hospitals in the country.

Addressing the nation in his 8th update on COVID-19, President Nana Akufo-Addo disclosed some deficiencies that need in the health sector.

President's Promise

He disclosed that the threat of COVID-19 has however aided the government to identify certain health needs that must be put in place to ensure the nation beefs up the health sector.

"Just as the virus has disrupted our daily lives, it has also exposed the deficiencies of our healthcare system, because of years of under-investment and neglect. Whilst maternal, new-born, adolescent health and nutrition remain our top priorities, we must pay increased attention to chronic, noncommunicable diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes and asthma, which have proved to be the common risk factors for the eleven (11) deaths we have recorded from the virus".

In view of this, the President indicated his "government has decided to undertake a major investment in our healthcare infrastructure, the largest in our history. We will, this year, begin constructing eighty-eight (88) hospitals in the districts without hospitals. It will mean ten (10) in Ashanti, nine (9) in Volta, nine (9) in Central, eight (8) in Eastern, seven (7) in Greater Accra, seven (7) in Upper East, five (5) in Northern, five (5) in Oti, five (5) in Upper West, five (5) in Bono, four (4) in Western North, four (4) in Western, three (3) in Ahafo, three (3) in Savannah, two (2) in Bono East, and two (2) in North East Regions. Each of them will be a quality, standard-design, one hundred bed hospital, with accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health workers, and the intention is to complete them within a year. We have also put in place plans for the construction of six (6) new regional hospitals in the six (6) new regions, and the rehabilitation of the EffiaNkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the regional hospital of the Western Region".

But hours after the President's remarks, the leadership and members of the NDC sought to question the viability of the projects within a year, and further slam the President for taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to rehash his campaign promises.

Rehash of "pretentious" 2016 campaign promises 

NDC Member of Parliament for Juaboso constituency and Ranking Member on Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh in an interview on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show asked the President to be "cognizant of his status as a President when addressing the nation on the state of the COVID-19. We are obliged to listen to the President and help him fight the COVID-19, but the moment he switches into political promises then there will be issues because when it comes to political campaign promises, the President has a certain pedigree...So, if the President comes to paint a picture as if he has now seen the need to build district hospitals due to the COVID-19, then it is not true, the President was not truthful to us because there was no COVID-19 in 2016. He should prove me wrong if he didn’t promise this to Ghanaians in the party's manifesto''.

Criticisms Premature

However, speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' program, Wednesday, Allotey Jacobs opined that it would have been best for the NDC to adopt a wait-and-see approach for awhile to know whether the project could even be rolled out, before attempting to shoot it down entirely.

To him, it is 'premature' for the NDC to cast doubts over the feasibility of the President's promise in improving the health sector because it was not captured in this year's budget.

"If he says he will construct them, we have to exercise patience and watch him. Where is he going to get the funds? How is he going to start? Should he claim to have started one or two, bear in mind that the residents in whose districts the hospitals are being constructed can bear witness or otherwise. So, for me, it is premature for him to be criticized because you're even urging him on to even find resources to start the projects . . . If he can do it or not, what is important is that 88 districts in this country needs hospitals.

''When it's getting close to elections and he hasn't begun, then you can call out his bluff, but it's too early to even say that it will be difficult or impossible to find the resources to complete it," the former Central Regional Chairman of the NDC stated.

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