The Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Tolon constituency of the Northern Region have registered their disappointments in the Akufo Addo-Bawumia government for commissioning a health facility and rendering it defunct.

The opposition party noted that the NPP government in November 2020 led by Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia commissioned the Tolon District Hospital to begin operations,.

It noted that after the usual flamboyant commissioning the facility has been left at the mercy of the weather.

The NDC in a press statement, signed by the Deputy Communication's Director of the Tolon Constituency, Mr. Issah Khalid Dokurugu said residents of the area are worried over the situation.

"We wish to express our frustration, anger and disappointment in the corrupt and borrowing Nana Addo-Bawumia government inability to make Tolon District hospital operational since its so-called commissioning by our incompetent brother Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on the 23rd November 2020".

According to him, the situation is causing needless loss of lives as many people who fall sick cannot find healthcare.

Mr. Issah appealed to the Akufo Addo government to make sure the hospital begins operations as promised.

"We the citizens as well as the NDC family for Tolon are appealing to the incompetent Nana and Bawumia to make sure that hospital start working because our people in the constituency are suffering, and not everyone can afford to pay for the ambulance to go to the regional capital for better health-care, the so-called completed Tolon District hospital remains under lock and key," he emphasised.

Read the full Press Statement Below:

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS

TOLON CONSTITUENCY COMMUNICATION SECRETARIAT,

TOLON, NR

Press Release

For Immediate Release

We wish to express our frustration, anger and disappointment in the corrupt and borrowing Nana Addo-Bawumia government inability to make Tolon District hospital operational since its so-called commissioning by our incompetent brother Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on the 23rd November 2020. The newly constructed facility in the district is still under lock for more than eight good months after it was opened to begin rendering health care services to the residence of the area.

The non-operationalization of the facility, though it was inaugurated in haste with the usual fanfare ceremony, the facility has become a source of worry to the residents of the area.

We the citizens as well as the NDC family for Tolon are appealing to the incompetent Nana and Bawumia to make sure that hospital start working because our people in the constituency are suffering, and not everyone can afford to pay for the ambulance to go to the regional capital for better health-care, the so-called completed Tolon District hospital remains under lock and key.

The good people of Tolon constituency are worried that, the hospital is not operational, however the illness that could be treated in the district hospital would have to transport the patients to the regional hospital and because of the peoples inability of the good people can not afford to pay for the ambulance services, we end up lossing family and friends.

We, vehemently disputed by the ruling NPP government that the Tolon hospital project is a legacy left behind by the NDC administration led by John Mahama and for that matter, Akufo Addo's government knows nothing about the project.

The Tolon hospital and other similar projects were founded by John Mahama in April 2016 and the contract was awarded and signed with VAMED in September 2016.and for that matter, Akufo Addo's government knows nothing about the project and the project knows nothing about Akufo Addo.

Tolon District hospital and the five other health facilities were externally funded by the John Mahama administration and the agreement for funding and construction of the facilities was submitted to parliament in March 2016 when NDC John Mahama was still in the office.

President Mahama gave executive approval to the credit agreement a day before it was sent to the parliament, a total amount of €89.9 million was sought from the Raiffeisen Bank international of Australia for the design, construction, equipping and furnishing of the five new district hospital which includes Tolon, Buipe, Sawla, Somanya, Weta and one polyclinic at Bamboi.

We, however, want to categorically state that in President Mahama’s last state of the nation address on January 5th 2017, he restated the fact that he had cut sod for the project to start.

Evidence showed that in the year 2017 budget statement (page113) read by the finance minister Hon. Ken Ofori Atta on March 2nd 2017, the minister said their government will continue the work that had started for the five districts hospitals which include Tolon District hospital as well as the polyclinic in Bamboi. This is a clear indication and acknowledgement by Akufo Addo’s cousin finance minister Mr Ken Ofori Atta that the project had commenced.

The Tolon hospital got parliamentary approval for its funding agreement, signing the agreement with the contractor and cutting sod for the commencement of construction before the Akufo Addo’s government assumed office. Ironically and characteristic of the incompetent Nana Addo-Bawumia government, they decided to recut another sod for the same projects just as they did to many other projects that started under President Mahama’s administration just to steal credit for such projects as Ghanaians have witnessed in the past 4 years under this clueless Nana-Bawumia government.

On 23rd November 2020, the second incompetent gentleman of the land Dr Mahamudu Bawumia came and deceived the chiefs and people of the district in the name of commissioning the facility which was supposed to be a 60-bed capacity ultramodern hospital for Tolon District, one of the six medical facilities President Mahama’s administration started work on.

The other facilities are an 80-bed hospital at Somanya in the Eastern Region, a 60-bed hospital at Sawla in the Savana Region, a 60-bed hospital at Weta in the Volta region and a 30-bed polyclinic at Bamboi in the Savana region.

We are, therefore, appealing to the incompetent Nana-Bawumia government to listen to the cry of the good people of Tolon and ensure that the district hospital facility which is the legacy of President Mahama’s government is operationalized immediately without any further delay.

It is our hope and belief that this press release will receive the serious attention that it deserves for the government to ensure that the Tolon hospital starts operation.

Issah Khalid Dokurugu

Deputy Communication Officer, NDC

Tolon Constituency, N/R

0204678109/0243902182

By Ibrahim Nurudeen