Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah, former Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, has urged the Mahama administration to continue and complete the Agenda 111 hospital project initiated under the Akufo-Addo government, describing it as a vital infrastructure investment that must not be neglected.
In an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, January 13, Dr. Assibey-Yeboah emphasised that sustained infrastructure spending is crucial for national development and job creation. “Roll out the infrastructure projects you are undertaking. Do not abandon Agenda 111 as has often been the case,” he cautioned. He further stressed that the Agenda 111 hospitals should be viewed not as a financial burden, but as essential investments in strengthening Ghana’s health sector.
Dr. Assibey-Yeboah underscored the importance of continuing the Agenda 111 hospital projects, insisting they should not be viewed as a financial drain but rather as vital infrastructure investments. “Budgets are being rolled out, and 111 hospitals are under construction. These are not a waste—they represent infrastructure spending, they are building hospitals,” he stated.
He recommended a phased approach to make the initiative more manageable, suggesting that the government commit to completing a set number each year. “Stagger the projects. For instance, you could decide to finish 25 this year,” he proposed. Dr. Assibey-Yeboah also criticised the government’s decision to cancel the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) policy, which was announced in its first budget, arguing that the program had produced tangible benefits
“They came, and in the first budget [2025], they said they have cancelled the One-District-One Factory policy. Does it make sense to you? Industries have been created. Jobs have been created. So go back to it. An industrialisation policy,” he said. According to him, sustaining both industrialisation and infrastructure programmes is crucial to tackling unemployment, particularly among the youth.
“Because if you don’t give them jobs, the youth out there, they will come after you,” Dr. Assibey-Yeboah warned. The Agenda 111 project was launched by the previous NPP administration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, following concerns that more than 100 districts and some regional capitals lacked hospitals. Although construction began under the then Akufo-Addo-led government, many of the facilities remain uncompleted.
Since taking office, the minority has accused the current administration of abandoning the projects. The government, however, maintains that it is committed to completing all Agenda 111 facilities, insisting that provisions in the 2026 budget demonstrate ongoing efforts to deliver the hospitals.
Source: Leticia Osei