The government says it is considering a new partnership with faith-based organisations that already operate hospitals to help complete some of the outstanding Agenda 111 projects across the country.
According to President Mahama, the proposal would allow these organisations to take over selected facilities and add them to the hospitals they currently manage. This, he explained, would enable the government to focus its resources on completing the projects that are closest to completion.
Speaking during a meeting with the Christian Council, President Mahama said a full review of the Agenda 111 programme is already in progress.
“I have not taken a decision yet, but it is going to come to the Cabinet. We’ve asked the ministry for an assessment of all the outstanding Agenda 111 hospitals. I think AESL is doing that work. And so when they bring the report, there are some that are near completion that the government will just go ahead and complete.”
He added that other project sites are at different stages, ranging from completed foundations to buildings at the lintel level. According to him, the partnership option is being explored because of the strong cooperation between government and faith-based organisations in the health sector.
“If there are some of these hospitals in areas where you find that it is useful for you to expand your health outreach, you might agree to take one of the hospitals and complete it and add it to the hospitals that you manage,” he said.
President Mahama said the necessary details will be shared once the assessment is finalised, allowing the organisations to identify which facilities align with their health missions and congregation needs.
“And so at the right time, we will come with all the information on the hospitals and where they are located. And then once you’ve gone through, you can look at where your congregations are and where you think that if you take the hospital, it will enhance the medical outreaches that you’re doing.”
The President also issued a strong warning to his appointees, stressing that his administration will not protect any official involved in corrupt acts.
He criticised the tendency of governments to ignore scandals while in office and only address them later. “Our problem in the fight against corruption is that it is always post-regime corruption that we fight. When a government is in office, when scandals are taking place, they don’t deal with them.”
He said that he regularly cautions his ministers during Cabinet meetings. “Woe betide the first person who brings a scandal to this government, we shall hang them on a cross… and you cannot resurrect again.”
He, however, said that despite pressures for faster action, his administration operates within the Constitution.
“A person, even whatever they say the person has done, must have his day in court,” he said, adding that investigations must be thorough and evidence-based.
“We are committed to the fight against corruption. We will be impartial and fair, and we are working to strengthen the institutions and give them the logistics they deserve,” he assured.
President Mahama also addressed the recent stampede during a military recruitment exercise, which claimed six lives and left several others injured.
Describing the incident as “a tragedy” that was “avoidable,” he said authorities should have recognised early that the chosen venue, Elwak Stadium, was too small.
“Elwak has only two entrances, and it was obvious by morning that the venue was inadequate to take the numbers.” He said suspending the exercise that day would have prevented the disaster.
“Unfortunately, we lost six of our young people, all female.” He added that most of those injured were also women, including many of the patients he saw in the ICU during his visit.
He confirmed that the military has set up a board of inquiry and that officers responsible for personnel management have been relieved of their positions while investigations continue.