Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has described the Agenda 111 hospital project as a “trap” set by the former administration, citing concerns over funding gaps and implementation challenges.

Speaking in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, April 22, the Minister questioned the sustainability of the project in its current form, arguing that it was designed without secured long-term financing.

According to him, the absence of a reliable funding structure has left government with a major financial burden, making it difficult to complete all 111 hospitals simultaneously.

“The Agenda 111 is a trap the former administration set,” he said, stressing that the scale of the project requires a more phased and realistic approach.

He explained that government is now focusing on completing about 35 hospitals that are significantly advanced, with completion levels estimated at over 70 percent. These facilities, he noted, will be prioritised for immediate funding and finishing works.

“We are looking at about 35 of them that are above 70 percent complete. Government must look for money and finish those first,” he stated.

Beyond that, the Minister said another group of facilities would be considered for completion through partnerships with faith-based and non-profit health providers, including the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG). Under this arrangement, such institutions would take over selected facilities, complete them, and manage them, while government continues to pay health workers.

He further indicated that a third category of hospitals, which are at very early stages of completion—some as low as 10 percent—could be offered to private sector investors under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangements to prevent them from becoming abandoned structures.

“If you leave them like that, they become abandoned projects. It is better to have private sector partners complete and operate them,” he said.

Akandoh argued that completing all 111 hospitals at once without secured funding would be unrealistic, estimating that the full cost could run into about GH¢20 billion and take over a decade to complete.

He also revealed that while some projects were inherited at various stages of completion, between 10 and 15 had not started at all, and several others were below 15 percent completion.

The Minister contrasted the Agenda 111 project with previous abandoned projects, stating that unlike earlier initiatives which had secured funding arrangements, the current project lacks a sustainable financing plan.

“That is what we must note. In this case, there is no sustainable funding. Everything must come from government,” he said.

He added that without restructuring, the project risks leaving behind a new wave of abandoned facilities across the country.

Despite the challenges, Akandoh maintained that government intends to complete a significant number of the hospitals within its tenure through prioritisation and strategic partnerships.

The Agenda 111 initiative was launched by the previous government to construct hospitals in all districts without health facilities, aiming to improve access to healthcare nationwide. However, it has faced delays and financing challenges since its inception.