'Agenda 111': Akufo-Addo Took US$100m From Mahama's Ghana Infrastructure Fund - Edudzi Tamakloe Credits Ex-Prez

Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe seeks to credit his boss for the commencement of the construction of some 111 hospitals under the Akufo-Addo government’s “Agenda 111” initiative.

According to the private legal practitioner, the artwork of 'Agenda 111' posted by government officials on social media platforms will be started with $100 million from Ghana Infrastructure Fund created by former President John Dramani Mahama.

“Government officials have posted artwork of 'Agenda 111'. The government is saying that it is going to start the project with 100 million dollars. That 100 million dollars, where did they get the money from? It is from the Ghana Infrastructure Fund . . . before John Mahama left office, he decided that 2.5 per cent of VAT should be taken to the Ghana Infrastructure Fund. He sent it to Parliament for that fund to be approved like the GETFund,” he noted.

“ . . Today, it is out of the same fund that this government has taken 100 million dollars to start agenda 111,” he recounted.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe was sceptical about the number of hospitals and their quality the $100 million can build as it will require between 20 to 30 million US dollars to build a proper 100-bed hospital.

"Even with that, how many hospitals can 100 million US dollars build in this country? If you are building a proper 100-bed hospital today, you will need between 20 to 30 million dollars,” he indicated.

Touching on the source of funding for such projects, Edudzi Tamakloe admonished that President Akufo-Addo should have a dedicated funding source before cutting sod for the commencement of 'Agenda 111', as the $100 million will not be enough to accomplish the project.

"You should have a dedicated funding source and that is the only way the project can be accomplished. Ask any contractor what is called interest on delayed payment When the contractors are done, they prepare what is called Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) to the government to be paid for the work they have done”.

“If there is no money for the project and the contractor sends the IPC to the government, the government will say that it does not have money and so the IPC which is supposed to be paid within 50 days, one year can pass without being paid and the contractor will take interest,” he said.