Better Ghana Agenda (II) At Work...New Police Hospital Takes Shape

In line with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government quest to expand access to healthcare delivery under the Better Ghana Agenda II, the ongoing redevelopment and expansion of the Police Hospital at Cantonment, Accra is taking shape as construction works progresses according to schedule. The Police hospital redevelopment project, which restarted after Parliament of Ghana�s approval of a GHC 135million loan between HSBC Bank Plc and the Government of Ghana and supported by the United Kingdom Government's Export Credit Guarantee Department in 2012, is expected to be completed by the end of this year. When The aL-hAJJ toured the project site over the weekend, reconstruction and expansion works on the hospital, which initially begun nearly forty years ago but was suspended, and was superintended by six successive governments, was progressing in earnest with indications the project would be completed as scheduled. Plans to redevelop the facility by the Kufuor administration in 2002 ran into financial difficulties and had to be suspended. The cost of the project which was pegged at �21 million then has since been revised upwards to GHC135 million in 2012 due to rise in inflation and also the construction of a new and bigger mortuary. The cost, according to experts was still likely to shoot up as a result of the sharp depreciating of the local currency, the cedi. The actual contract sum stands at �40,125,714, with an ECGD premium of �3,658,379 and a government of Ghana component of �645,596. The loan, which has a repayment period of 10 years and a maturity period of 12 years, attracts an interest rate of 1.45 per cent per annum, a commitment fee of 0.45 per cent, an arrangement fee of 0.90 per cent and a grace period of two years. The entire project is been executed by the International Hospitals Group, an international healthcare service company. It includes the execution of all civil and structural works, all architectural and design works, installation of equipment and training. The Police Hospital, established in 1976, is one of the key medical facilities in the country that has not received meaningful support in terms of infrastructure and equipment as successive governments have paid lip service to its redevelopment and expansion. Government sources say the urgency for the expansion and retooling of the facility was a step in the right direction, considering the role the hospital played in health service delivery in the country. The Police hospital is one of the numerous infrastructural development projects the Mills/Mahama-led administration is delivering under the Better Ghana Agenda (II). Below are some projects the NDC government is implementing. The Komenda Sugar Factory, Elmina Fish Processing Factory, CIMAF Cement Factory, DIHOC Shoe factory, Kumasi; Takoradi Ports Expansion, Tema Port MPS Crane, Tamale Hospital Rehabilitation and Expansion, Legon Teaching Hospital, NHIS Tamale Office, Upper West Regional Hospital, the first batch of the 200 Community Day SHS, University of Health and Allied Sciences project, Millennium City Schools in Accra (Dansoman School Complex),World Bank-Sponsored 23 SHS and Tamale Airport Rehabilitation and Upgrading. Others are the Kumasi Airport Expansion, Nkrumah Circle Interchange, Aworshie Pokuase Road, Takoradi Met. New asphalt roads, Yamoransa road, Elubo Road rehabilitation, Burma Camp Roads, Giffard Roads, Teshie - Nungua Bush Road, Ghana � Togo Railway, Afloa Metro Mass Terminal, Mampong Water Supply Rehabilitation and Expansion, Wa Water Supply Expansion, Kibi 5 Town Water Treatment Plant, Akyenpim Water Project, Pungu solar energy project, Bui 1st Power project, Atuabo Gas, Electrification of 22 communities in Tamale south, Mampong Electrification, 54 Communities, 60% + Increase in Producer Price of Cocoa and Gharvie Aquaculture Inauguration. The rest are the Environ-dome Inauguration, OAS Housing Project, Lavarakpo 200 Housing Project, Takoradi Sea Defence, Jita Tokor Sea Defence, YES Launch and Offices inspection, Cape Coast Sports Stadium Complex, NCA Tamale Offices, Distribution of 2,200 Laptops, VTMIS Commissioning, Military Aircraft Hanger, Labadi Villas Housing, Aboabo Market, Tamale; Kotokuraba Market, Cape Coast among many others scattered across the country.