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Former President John Dramani Mahama has ridiculed the promise by President Akufo-Addo to establish eighty-eight (88) district and six (6) Regional hospitals in the country.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during his 8th address on COVID-19, assured Ghanaians that his government will construct a total of 94 health facilities in a year.

The President noted that the projects will begin this year saying, "the 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 to former President Mahama, President Nana Akufo-Addo is making "knee jerk promises" not borne out of "critical thinking".

Mr Mahama stated that the President is only reacting because the impact of COVID-19 has exposed his administration's failures.

"While even more investment is required to augment the existing health infrastructure, it is important the plan to do so is credible and clearly thought through. What we should avoid is knee jerk promises that appear reactive than the product of critical thinking and well-coordinated response to an existing or emerging problem,"

"The reaction of the public to the President's promise to construct 94 new hospitals in one year is understandable considering his rather tall list of unfulfilled or poorly implemented promises from yesteryears. I believe in a well thought out and forward-looking agenda which ensures further strategic investment in our health structure to meet contemporary and future challenges," he emphasized in a digital conversation on May Day.