The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has refuted claims that contracts for the construction of hospitals under the government’s Agenda 111 project were unlawfully awarded.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said the award of the contracts were “legally granted in accordance with approvals from the Public Procurement Authority.”

Each of the hospitals will cost $16.88 million, with $12.88 million being used for the construction of the hospitals and $4 million for medical equipment.

On value-for-money of the projects, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said this was “about 50 percent of the cost of similar projects under the previous administration.”

“The claim therefore of inflated contracts is untrue and, we believe, politically trumped-up,” he added.

The concerns were raised by Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the MP for South Dayi, who said the Minority would oppose the project because of the purported unlawful award of contracts which he said were also inflated.

A former Health Minister, Alex Segbefia, also questioned the government’s transparency in funding for the Agenda 111 hospitals.

Agenda 111 is the culmination of a pledge to improve healthcare infrastructure after the country dealt with the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic.

The plan to construct 111 health facilities will include new regional hospitals, new district hospitals, and new psychiatric hospitals.

These hospital projects are in line with the government’s commitment to ensuring universal health care to all citizens and the attainment of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The government expects the projects to be completed within 18 months.

The President cut sod for the commencement of the project on Tuesday at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region on August 17.

So far, sites have been identified for 88 of the 111 hospitals.

Over 200 contractors will be working on the project which has been allocated GHS 600.