BoG maintains policy rate citing threats to economic growth

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GOWON 10 years ago

The situation looks bleak with the debt stock increasing significantly without a commensurate increase in net inflows on the back of decreasing price of commodities, the main drivers of our economy.

The situation looks bleak with the debt stock increasing significantly without a commensurate increase in net inflows on the back of decreasing price of commodities, the main drivers of our economy.
NM 10 years ago

TESHIE) LEDZEKUKU-KROWOR: New hospital in the offing

President Mills cutting the sod
President John Evans Atta Mills has cut the sod for work to commence on a Chinese government assisted 100 bed capacity general hospit ...
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TESHIE) LEDZEKUKU-KROWOR: New hospital in the offing

President Mills cutting the sod
President John Evans Atta Mills has cut the sod for work to commence on a Chinese government assisted 100 bed capacity general hospital.

The project based in Teshie in the Greater Accra region,is part of redeeming his pledge to improve the nation’s health delivery.

The hospital is being constructed at a cost of US$13 million with Chinese component of US$7.5 grant.

The hospital is being constructed at a cost of US$13 million with Chinese component of US$7.5 grant.

China Geo Engineering Corporation is the contractor for the project which is scheduled to be completed in 16 months.

The sod-cutting ceremony marked the first of planned health projects under the Mills Administration.

The project is in furtherance of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation, under which the Government of Ghana made a request to the People’s Republic of China for the construction of 100-bed General Hospital with a malaria research centre.

The facility would serve the Teshie-Nungua communities, who for some time now have been going to either the La or the Tema General Hospitals, the two nearest public health facilities, which are kilometres away.

Facilities included in the design are full medical equipment, out patient unit, radiology unit with CT and x-ray, two operating theatres incorporating ultra-sound, enterospy, gastrocopy and electrodiogram equipment.

Healthcare delivery in northern Ghana took a giant stride yesterday, when President John Dramani Mahama inaugurated phase one of the Tamale Teaching Hospital project and cut the sod for the phase two.

The first phase, involving the rehabilitation and expansion of existing structures and installation of new equipment, cost 39. 3 million euros, while the second phase will cost 48.5 million euros. The two projects are expected to add a major boost to the government's quest to develop the hospital into an international facility of excellence.

Funding for the projects are provided by the Dutch and Ghanaian governments.

Second phase

Specific projects under the second phase include the construction of a five-storey block with medical and surgical wards, faculty offices, tutorial and conference rooms; a second five-storey block with operating theatres, maternity wards and facilities; a three-story accident and emergency building and reception area, as well as beds for emergencies.

Others are: a link building, a new mortuary with pathology unit and laboratory; a new medical gases plant; assorted medical equipment; ancillary facilities including power plant; waste management section and staff accommodation..

Completion of the first phase brought the bed capacity of the hospital to 400. The second phase will add 400 more beds and increase the bed capacity of the hospital to 800.

Background of the project

The Tamale Hospital was constructed in 1974, but it had not seen any major rehabilitation for years until about two years ago when the late President, Professor John Atta Mills cut the sod for the commencement of the first phase of rehabilitation and upgrading of the facility to the status of a teaching hospital. Since then, the government has worked assiduously to ensure the continuation of the project.

Inaugurating the project, President Mahama stressed the government’s determination to invest heavily in healthcare, since quality health for the people was paramount in building a vibrant nation.

He described the Tamale Teaching Hospital project as a critical investment that would bring a lot of benefits to the people of the Northern Region and beyond and said it was his vision to see to it that the hospital became the best in every aspect of health delivery.

With the rapid increase in the population of Tamale in particular and the Northern Region in general, the President said it was very important to ensure that the health facilities matched the growth.

The population of the city that was about 400,000 when the hospital was constructed in 1974, has more than quadrupled.

Touching on the NDC government's social democratic principles, Mr Mahama said that had informed the emphasis placed on projects that would improve the lot of the people.

On medical training at the University for Development Studies ( UDS), the President expressed delight that the medical students now used the new facilities at the hospital. He also said the fact that the teaching hospital would also provide training for allied health personnel would add another dimension to its importance.

President Mahama promised that every region would have a regional hospital by the end of his term and charged the hospital’s management to take good care of the facilities and renew their commitment to their jobs.

He also paid tribute to his predecessor who initiated the project.

Health minister

The Minister of Health, Ms Sherry Ayitey, said the projects would enable the UDS to produce more doctors for the northern sector and the entire nation. She said this year, the hospital would introduce a programme that would help improve the nutrition of children in the three northern regions.

The CEO of the hospital, Dr Prosper Akambom, praised the government for fulfilling its promise to the people
NM 10 years ago

The first phase, involving the rehabilitation and expansion of existing structures and installation of new equipment, cost 39. 3 million euros, while the second phase will cost 48.5 million euros.

Second phase

Specif ...
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The first phase, involving the rehabilitation and expansion of existing structures and installation of new equipment, cost 39. 3 million euros, while the second phase will cost 48.5 million euros.

Second phase

Specific projects under the second phase include the construction of a five-storey block with medical and surgical wards, faculty offices, tutorial and conference rooms; a second five-storey block with operating theatres, maternity wards and facilities; a three-story accident and emergency building and reception area, as well as beds for emergencies.

Others are: a link building, a new mortuary with pathology unit and laboratory; a new medical gases plant; assorted medical equipment; ancillary facilities including power plant; waste management section and staff accommodation..

Completion of the first phase brought the bed capacity of the hospital to 400. The second phase will add 400 more beds and increase the bed capacity of the hospital to 800.

TESHIE HOSPITAL

President John Evans Atta Mills has cut the sod for work to commence on a Chinese government assisted 100 bed capacity general hospital.

The project based in Teshie in the Greater Accra region,is part of redeeming his pledge to improve the nation’s health delivery.

The hospital is being constructed at a cost of US$13 million with Chinese component of US$7.5 grant.

The hospital is being constructed at a cost of US$13 million with Chinese component of US$7.5 grant.

China Geo Engineering Corporation is the contractor for the project which is scheduled to be completed in 16 months. Facilities included in the design are full medical equipment, out patient unit, radiology unit with CT and x-ray, two operating theatres incorporating ultra-sound, enterospy, gastrocopy and electrodiogram equipment.
ghana 10 years ago

Subscribe to our RSS FeedGhana Soccer | League Sunday | England League | League Fantasy | Spain League | Italy League | Nigeria League | Germany League | Football | Soccer | Ghana Soccernet

K ...
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Subscribe to our RSS FeedGhana Soccer | League Sunday | England League | League Fantasy | Spain League | Italy League | Nigeria League | Germany League | Football | Soccer | Ghana Soccernet

Kwesi Nyantakyi goes ballastic, blasts 'wicked' journalists for fabricating World Cup budget figures
Posted On Monday, 14th April 2014

Kwesi Nyantakyi

Kwesi Nyantakyi

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By Patrick Akoto

Ghana FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi has launched a stinging pot at ‘some wicked’ journalists for trying to creating disaffection for the association over the 2014 World Cup budget.

The ever-smiling Ghanaian football leader is livid over allegations of corruption against the GFA in the wake of intense debate over the approved budget for the 2014 World Cup.

Government has approved a figure in the region of $9 million for the global showpiece in Brazil, which is a far cry from the speculated $20 million amount by a section of the Ghanaian media.

A section of the Ghanaian, in a virulent campaign, claimed that America’s budget of the entire World Cup competition is $2m, which has now been exposed as a total fabrication.

That is because the budget for the bonuses of just coach Jurgen Klinsmann is $10.5m which means if all aspects of the budget like bonuses for players and officials as well as preparations and other logistics are added the USA budget will rocket.

Nyantakyi has gone banana-crazy over the debate on the budget and says the figures being bandied about in the media are being concocted by ‘wicked’ journalists, who are determined to see his back.

“All these brouhaha and controversies about the World Cup budget were concocted by wicked (journalists) who should have known better and who know the real truth but won’t say it as it is,” Nyantakayi is quoted by Ghanasportsonline to have said.

“It can only take a lunatic to say such things, because if only you are not sick in the head and not a mad man, you wouldn’t talk about inflated figures in the budget.

“How can a person who is mentally sound, how can a person who is not a lunatic publish and claim that the Ghana Football Association has inflated figures that we are sending to the minister and the chief of staff?”

“They have planned, all these have been planned and I believe its intentional and they just want to say bad things about the GFA.

“You can at times get confused to even determine whether such people are truly Ghanaians because after all the budget that we prepare will be sent to the minister and the minister is not blind.

“This will also go the Chief of Staff who is also not blind and will go through other processes of vetting including the cabinet.”

Nyantakyi said he approached the USA Soccer Federation President Sunil at a recent FIFA meeting in Zurich and he confirmed that the USA budget is far higher than what was reported in the Ghanaian media.

“When I met the US federation President Sunil in Zurich, I told him what what reported in the Ghanaian media and he was surprised by the report. He said the figure was much much higher as their plans for the tournament are very extensive,” Nyantakyi said.

Every budget for Ghana’s World Cup participation resurrects a ritual of debate over whether the amount is prudent for a one-month long competition or an overly wasteful outlay of scarce resources.

But those who are opposed to the Nyantakyi administration hide the fact that the World Cup brings profits to Ghana rather than the claims of loses to the tax payer.

Ghana received $11m from its participation at the 2010 World Cup when it spent $9m which means the country made a profit of $2m.

Ghana will make a profit of about $4m even if the Black Stars crash out at the group stage of the competition.
ghana 10 years ago

Jurgen Klinsmann will earn $10.5m if USA reaches the final of the World Cup

USA’s budget of $10.5m for their coach’s bonuses at the World Cup is bigger than Ghana’s entire World Cup budget, rubbishing claims by a sec ...
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Jurgen Klinsmann will earn $10.5m if USA reaches the final of the World Cup

USA’s budget of $10.5m for their coach’s bonuses at the World Cup is bigger than Ghana’s entire World Cup budget, rubbishing claims by a section of the Ghanaian media that America has budgeted $2m for the tournament in Brazil in June.

A section of the Ghanaian media claimed that USA will spend just $2m for the tournament in Brazil, sparking anger in certain quarters in Ghana over the $9m budgeted for the Black Stars for their entire participation in the competition.

However a report in one of America’s leading newspapers, the Washington Post, has exposed the report in Ghana as false by revealing that even the bonuses to be earned by Juergen Klinsmann will be bigger than Ghana’s entire budget for the tournament.

According to the report, Klinsmann will earn between $500,000 and $10.5 million in bonuses based on how deep the U.S. national team advances at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The scale was included in the U.S. Soccer Federation’s audited financial statements for April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013.

If the bonuses of the players, officials and other supporting staff are added to it as well as expenses on their more than 40 scouts spread over Europe as well as the January camp in Sao Paolo their budget could rocket to about $30m which is far bigger than what the Ghanaian media reported.

Klinsmann’s base salary is $2.5 million — the largest in USSF coaching history.

The statement did not include a breakdown of Klinsmann’s potential bonuses for the World Cup performance, but presumably he would receive the minimum amount for earning points in the group stage and the maximum figure for winning the championship.

It is unclear how much he received for guiding the national team to a World Cup berth.
Concerned 10 years ago

Gold and Cocoa have been decreasing ($$), and this is likely to continue. Even oil is likely to see a dip if China's economy begins to tank as some people are beginning to fear. It is seriously time Ghana started focusing on ...
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Gold and Cocoa have been decreasing ($$), and this is likely to continue. Even oil is likely to see a dip if China's economy begins to tank as some people are beginning to fear. It is seriously time Ghana started focusing on the industrial BASE of Ghana.

Irrigation and better storage for our farming, rail and proper/cheap transportation to move raw materials, reliable electricity and power for businesses. Decrease our imports by any means necessary... keep the scrap metal export ban. Support new tire factories, etc.

Gov't right now is soo distracted on oil and this joke of an integrated aluminum industry - the current AL industry we have makes a loss of $100mil, should probably solve that problem before doubling down
TSA 10 years ago

President Mills Suspected Mahama Of Being Corrupt?Email this
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« PrevNext »On his ...
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President Mills Suspected Mahama Of Being Corrupt?Email this
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« PrevNext »On his assumption to office in 2009, President Mills on 19th February, 2009, in his State of the Nation address to Parliament, told Parliament that his government was reviewing the decision to purchase two executive Presidential jets. "Ghana simply cannot afford the expenditure at this time and we certainly do not need two Presidential Jets", late President Mills told the whole world. President Mills as we later came to realise was not in good health and Ghana became like an acephalous country with Vice President Mahama virtually ruling the country on proxy.

Unknown to many Ghanaians, then chairman of the Armed Forces Council, Vice President John Mahama was frantically receiving delegations from Brazil and negotiating the acquisition of five jets, including the most expensive hangar for this poor nation, when his President appeared not to be aware of the transactions. At the blindside of President Mills, then Vice President Mahama led an NDC Government delegation to negotiate the purchase of aircrafts for the Ghana Armed Forces. The invoice he brought was “gargantually” inflated so much so that late President Mills, who was not known for questioning such corrupt deals by members of his party became convinced that his Vice President was up to mischief. He therefore set up a Three Member Committee to investigate this hypocrisy and betrayal of people’s trust.

According to former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu,the late President Mills, apparently shocked and suspicious of then Vice President Mahama's negotiations, set up a Committee, comprising Hon William Aboah, Mr. George Amoah and Brig. Gen. Allotey (Rtd.), to investigate the Processes of the Acquisition of Five Aircraft, including Embraer 190 aircraft and hangar to the Ghana Army.According to Martin Amidu, "pressure groups never allowed the Committee to take off. But the very fact that the late President Mills contemplated this Committee meant that he was uncomfortable with and suspicious of the alleged inflated prices of the aircraft." Well- meaning Ghanaians believe this is a huge indictment on John Mahama who has refused to address this issue. Why is President Mahama and his veloce communication team of more than thirty people refusing to address this important issue. This is a President with a team of young sharp teeths who responds to any accusation against him so why are they mum about this accusation by Mr Martin Amidu? Is it a case where there are evidence to indict Mahama so his team are willing to allow this accusation to blow over?

When the President Security members were accused of beating female students of a Nursing College in Sefwi Wiawso who pelted him with sachet water, the office of the President immediately issued statement denying the charges so why are they mum about the accusation from the former Attorney General?

"General News of Friday, 26 October 2012 Source: Office of the President Prez Mahama was not acttacked- Gov't

The Office of the President has described as false and politically motivated, claims by some radio stations that President John Dramani Mahama was attacked by female students of a Nursing College in Sefwi Wiawso who pelted him with sachet water."

Can the office of the President do the same by denying that President Mills never set a committee to investigate him? Ghanaians have the right to know if their President who is seeking the votes to rule four more years have been taking bribes to sign on to contracts. We don't want a recusant as a President and therefore demand an answer from President Mahama why President Mills suspected him to have inflated the prices of the planes he bought from the Brazil company. Is it a case of co-incidence that President Mahama's brother, Ibrahim bought a personal plane at the same time his brother was inflating prices on planes bought on behalf of the country?

If President Mills wanted his Vice President to be investigated for corruption and the President who had inspected projects the previous day daie mysteriously, then who can blame somew people for suspecting that President Mills was poisoned as it is being now alleged by one Mr Aziz Anchor that, the scheme to eliminate the president was hatched stemming back from when the late President John Mills indicated his disgust and strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence about the alleged inflated prices of Five Aircraft for the Armed Forces which were negotiated by his Vice President Mr John Dramani Mahama (Current Ghana President).

I think it will be in President Mahama's best interest to address this problem instead of leaving it to linger in the minds of conspiracy theorists that, President Mills was killed to silence him.

Justice Sarpong

Houston, Texas

(CARDINAL of TRUTH)

Hypocrite Rawlings And Togolese Gilchrist Olympio Should Be Arrested.Email this
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« PrevNext »Yes, Rawlings and his Togolese buddy, Gilchrist Olympio perpetrated a daylight robbery on Ghanaians when Rawlings arbitrary gave the Togolese Terrorist the Abosso Glass Factory without any Parliamentary approval and therefore both Rawlings and Olympio should be arrested for causing financial loss to the country. Folks, let's kibitz and perpend on how Togolese Gilchrist Olympio came to own and control a national asset without the approval of Ghanaians. I have an eidetic memory of the history of the Olympios in Togo politics and Gilchrist Olympio should not have been given a Ghanaian asset for free, he is a terrorist with Togolese blood on his hands..

I know the Rawlings sycophantic denizens of the street and NDC factotums might consider this issue an afterclap but it is an issue that needs to be revisited due to Rawlings constant howling and malarkey's about others causing financial loss to the state when he is the biggest culprit when it comes to finacial malfeasance to our country. How long can this hypocrite clad himself in the iron curtain indemnity clause that protects him from rendering an account of his 19 years of killing fields rule and then harangue others to account for their stewardship despite all the social and economic problems he brought on the country? This caitiff nabob who flummoxed Ghanaians with his socialist ideas and portrayed himself as one of of the common people is living a lucullan lifestyle,driving in convoy of bullet proof cars and hiding in the government Australian house or another government property despite his ghost inhabited multimillion East Legon mansion gathering cobwebs.

RAWLINGS AND GILCHRIST PLYMPIO SHOULD BE ARRESTED AND PROSECUTED FOR CAUSING FINANCIAL LOSS TO THE STATE IN THE ABOSSO GLASS FACTORY COLLAPSE ALONE.HE STOLE GHANACAN AND GAVE IT TO HIS WIFE AS A WEDDING PRESENT, WE CAN'T ALSO TAKE CARE OF HIS TOGOLESE FAMILY.

What is it that makes Rawlings so enamored with the Olympio family of Togo? Is he related to this Togolese opposition leader? Does he hate the Eyadema ruling clan in Togo he was willing to sacrifice the interest of Ghanaians to see his Togolese friend or family member, Gilchrist Olympio live the high life at the expense of the Ghanaian taxpayers? He handed over the Abosso Glass factory and renamed it Tropical Glass Factory to deceive the prying eyes of Ghanaians to a branded Togolese terrorist, Gilchrist Olympio. Why should a Ghanaian factory be diversified to a Togolese terrorist in the divesture implementation policy adopted by the NDC when it won power in 1992? This is the height of Rawlings hypocrisy accusing others of crimes when he used the treasury of Ghana as his personal property and dished out factories and corporations to his friends and family.

The Abosso Glass factory was commissioned in 1965 by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to produce bottles for the local Breweries and some for export and despite his overthrow in 1966, this factory and others continued to serve Ghana until Rawlings and his NDC who called themselves social democrats but were more capitalists than the Warren Buffets' and the Bill Gates' decided to sell 300 companies to themselves and give some away as gifts, like the Abosso Glass Factory which was handed over to Gilchrist Olympio in 1992 by the incoming Rawlings NDC administration on a silver platter. Gilchrist Olympio used this property to borrow 200,000 pounds sterling from Commonwealth Development Corporation(CDC), a London-based organisation, to rehabilitate the company, but failed to pay the money back to his creditors.

The CDC after being given the run around by Olympio and his benefactor Rawlings, sued him and the Abosso Glass Factory at an Accra High Court where they succeeded in getting judgement in their favour to liquidate the company to enable them get their 408,000 pound sterling, which is the original amount plus the interest that has accrued on it. The taxpayers of Ghana ended up paying this amount.

Rawlings and the NDC regime at the same time handed over $2.5 million Japanese grant to Olympio to import machinery to equip the factory. To be fair to the Togolese, some machines were imported to modernise the factory but whether the whole 2.5 million dollars was used is another question.

After aquiring this factory without paying a dime for it, Gilchrist Olympio formed a governing board for with only Togolese citizens without any NDC or for that matter any Ghanaian being on the board of Directors of this factory and proceeded in running this factory at Abosso near Tarkwa as if it is in Lome, Togo.

The NPP government decided to take the company back from Olympio who was using this state property as his personal property when they assumed office because the company has accumulated an electricity bill of 1.5 billion old Ghanain cedis and the Electricity Corporation was not getting anywhere with him to pay his bill.The cutting off of electricity supply to the company was the last straw that shut this company down that used to employe over 300 people mostly from the area.Gilchrist Olympio, the Togolese opposition leader after failing to convince the Electricity corporation to get power back on went and collected all the bottles that had already been produced by the company and sold them. He did not deem it convenient to even pay a pesewa to EGC to defray part of the debt.

Olympio shut the factory down and high tailed to Paris, France tippling at fine resturants with jorums of fine French wines while the workers at the factory were left holding the bag without getting any severance pay.

When the electricity to this factory was cut off, another credit account house in Accra which claimed Gilchrist Olympio and his Abosso Glass factory owed it some money stormed the factory and forcibly removed airconditioners, deep freezers and other electrical equipment to defray part of the debt. Rawlings gave a vibrant state factory to his Togolese family member Olympio who dismantled it and went into hiding in Paris, France.

The hypocracy of Rawlings kamikaze political rhetorics and sanctimonious pontification of his virtues is a mirage that only his acolytes who support him just because they are from the same tribe should be brought to the fore because some young people in this forum are not aware of what Rawlings did in his 19 plus years rule and the opposition NPP is not doing a good job in highlighting the mess NDC created before leaving office in 2001.

Justice Sarpong
TSA 10 years ago

On his assumption to office in 2009, President Mills on 19th February, 2009, in his State of the Nation address to Parliament, told Parliament that his government was reviewing the decision to purchase two executive President ...
read full comment

On his assumption to office in 2009, President Mills on 19th February, 2009, in his State of the Nation address to Parliament, told Parliament that his government was reviewing the decision to purchase two executive Presidential jets. "Ghana simply cannot afford the expenditure at this time and we certainly do not need two Presidential Jets", late President Mills told the whole world. President Mills as we later came to realise was not in good health and Ghana became like an acephalous country with Vice President Mahama virtually ruling the country on proxy.

Unknown to many Ghanaians, then chairman of the Armed Forces Council, Vice President John Mahama was frantically receiving delegations from Brazil and negotiating the acquisition of five jets, including the most expensive hangar for this poor nation, when his President appeared not to be aware of the transactions. At the blindside of President Mills, then Vice President Mahama led an NDC Government delegation to negotiate the purchase of aircrafts for the Ghana Armed Forces. The invoice he brought was “gargantually” inflated so much so that late President Mills, who was not known for questioning such corrupt deals by members of his party became convinced that his Vice President was up to mischief. He therefore set up a Three Member Committee to investigate this hypocrisy and betrayal of people’s trust.

According to former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu,the late President Mills, apparently shocked and suspicious of then Vice President Mahama's negotiations, set up a Committee, comprising Hon William Aboah, Mr. George Amoah and Brig. Gen. Allotey (Rtd.), to investigate the Processes of the Acquisition of Five Aircraft, including Embraer 190 aircraft and hangar to the Ghana Army.According to Martin Amidu, "pressure groups never allowed the Committee to take off. But the very fact that the late President Mills contemplated this Committee meant that he was uncomfortable with and suspicious of the alleged inflated prices of the aircraft." Well- meaning Ghanaians believe this is a huge indictment on John Mahama who has refused to address this issue. Why is President Mahama and his veloce communication team of more than thirty people refusing to address this important issue. This is a President with a team of young sharp teeths who responds to any accusation against him so why are they mum about this accusation by Mr Martin Amidu? Is it a case where there are evidence to indict Mahama so his team are willing to allow this accusation to blow over?

When the President Security members were accused of beating female students of a Nursing College in Sefwi Wiawso who pelted him with sachet water, the office of the President immediately issued statement denying the charges so why are they mum about the accusation from the former Attorney General?

"General News of Friday, 26 October 2012 Source: Office of the President Prez Mahama was not acttacked- Gov't

The Office of the President has described as false and politically motivated, claims by some radio stations that President John Dramani Mahama was attacked by female students of a Nursing College in Sefwi Wiawso who pelted him with sachet water."

Can the office of the President do the same by denying that President Mills never set a committee to investigate him? Ghanaians have the right to know if their President who would be seeking the votes to rule four more years in 2016 have been taking bribes to sign on to contracts. We don't want a recusant as a President and therefore demand an answer from President Mahama why President Mills suspected him to have inflated the prices of the planes he bought from the Brazil company. Is it a case of co-incidence that President Mahama's brother, Ibrahim bought a personal plane at the same time his brother was inflating prices on planes bought on behalf of the country?

If President Mills wanted his Vice President to be investigated for corruption and the President who had inspected projects the previous day daie mysteriously, then who can blame somew people for suspecting that President Mills was poisoned as it is being now alleged by one Mr Aziz Anchor that, the scheme to eliminate the president was hatched stemming back from when the late President John Mills indicated his disgust and strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence about the alleged inflated prices of Five Aircraft for the Armed Forces which were negotiated by his Vice President Mr John Dramani Mahama (Current Ghana President).

I think it will be in President Mahama's best interest to address this problem instead of leaving it to linger in the minds of conspiracy theorists that, President Mills was killed to silence him.

Justice Sarpong

(CARDINAL of TRUTH)
NM 10 years ago

Ghana’s continuous population growth means that more social facilities, including hospitals and clinics would have to be constructed and existing ones need to be expanded to meet the growing demand for quality health care.W ...
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Ghana’s continuous population growth means that more social facilities, including hospitals and clinics would have to be constructed and existing ones need to be expanded to meet the growing demand for quality health care.We support the development of Ghana’s health sector and indeed, every other sector and we appreciate the need to expand and improve the facilities so as to increase productivity. However, we are alarmed at a recent report at the Ridge hospital and shocked at the amount of money that is supposedly being spent on the expansion of the Ridge hospital from a 200 bed to a 420 bed capacity at a questionable cost of $306 million.

The first phase, involving the rehabilitation and expansion of existing structures and installation of new equipment, cost 39. 3 million euros, while the second phase will cost 48.5 million euros.

Second phase

Specific projects under the second phase include the construction of a five-storey block with medical and surgical wards, faculty offices, tutorial and conference rooms; a second five-storey block with operating theatres, maternity wards and facilities; a three-story accident and emergency building and reception area, as well as beds for emergencies.

Others are: a link building, a new mortuary with pathology unit and laboratory; a new medical gases plant; assorted medical equipment; ancillary facilities including power plant; waste management section and staff accommodation..

Completion of the first phase brought the bed capacity of the hospital to 400. The second phase will add 400 more beds and increase the bed capacity of the hospital to 800.

TESHIE HOSPITAL

President John Evans Atta Mills has cut the sod for work to commence on a Chinese government assisted 100 bed capacity general hospital.

The project based in Teshie in the Greater Accra region,is part of redeeming his pledge to improve the nation’s health delivery.

The hospital is being constructed at a cost of US$13 million with Chinese component of US$7.5 grant.

The hospital is being constructed at a cost of US$13 million with Chinese component of US$7.5 grant.

China Geo Engineering Corporation is the contractor for the project which is scheduled to be completed in 16 months. Facilities included in the design are full medical equipment, out patient unit, radiology unit with CT and x-ray, two operating theatres incorporating ultra-sound, enterospy, gastrocopy and electrodiogram equipment.
ghana 10 years ago

FACTS BEHIND THE FIGURES: Upgrade Of Ridge Hosp...All You Need To Know

>

15-Apr-2014 Comments ( 9) Email Print

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FACTS BEHIND THE FIGURES: Upgrade Of Ridge Hosp...All You Need To Know

>

15-Apr-2014 Comments ( 9) Email Print

Related Stories

The Ministry of Health has sought to clarify the brouhaha over the re-construction and up-grading of the Ridge Hospital saying “there is no evidence whatsoever to justify that the Contract price has been bloated and that it is the most expensive hospital in the world.”

A document chanced upon by Peacefmonline.com states that “the project is not refurbishment but a fully functional ultra-modern new and purpose-built hospital to be built on an occupied site” to be called the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.

The Greater Accra Regional Hospital is conceived as an ultra-modern hospital with 620 in-patient and intensive care and day care beds providing health care services in medical and surgical specialties and sub-specialties.

The Minority in Parliament, a couple of weeks ago, raised concerns about the cost of the project and subsequently vowed to halt what they term as the “fraudulent” $306 million project.

According to them, the deal was approved on their blindside, adding that it is damaging to the national interest and must not be allowed to proceed.

The group also estimated that Ghana will lose $85 million if the $306 million deal goes ahead.

But a document titled “Position Paper On The Major Rehabilation And Upgrade Of The Greater Accra Regional Hospital At Ridge”, puts the total cost of the project as “$250 million.”

“Cabinet at its 36th meeting held on Thursday, 2nd August, 2012 granted approval for the two Credit Agreements between Government of Ghana and Export-Import Bank of United States for an amount of US$157,500,000.00 and HSBC Bank for an amount of US$92,500,000.OO respectively…We wish to state that this project has really gone through all the necessary statutory approvals and laid down procedures for procuring single source projects,” the document partly read.

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“Position Paper On The Major Rehabilation And Upgrade Of The Greater Accra Regional Hospital At Ridge, Accra As At 8th April, 2014

The re-construction of Ridge hospital is in line with Government of Ghana's quest to provide every Region in Ghana with an ultra-modern secondary level referral Regional Hospital.

Messrs Bouygues Batiment International (BBI) submitted a proposal for the major Rehabilitation and Upgrade of Ridge Hospital to Greater Accra Regional Hospital through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 7th June, 2011 after the Attorney General's advice on the terms and conditions of the said MOU on 24th May, 2011.

The MOU clearly indicated a 629Bed Regional Hospital.

A stakeholder meeting was subsequently held to discuss the proposed design by BBI on 1st September, 2011. Following this meeting, the Contractors were then requested to submit financial terms sheet and conditions of their offer to Ministry of Finance for their acceptability of the financial terms. The Ministry of Finance on 31st January, 2012 officially wrote to inform the Ministry of Health to proceed with other processes leading to the realization of the project.

A joint Cabinet Memo was then initiated after receipt of a draft Terms and Conditions of the loan agreement from HSBC Bank of London and United States Exim Bank. The Ministry of Health then sent a joint Cabinet Memo to Cabinet on 17th May, 2012.

Cabinet at its 36th meeting held on Thursday, 2nd August, 2012 granted approval for the two Credit Agreements between Government of Ghana and Export-Import Bank of United States for an amount of US$157,500,000.00 and HSBC Bank for an amount of US$92,500,000.OO respectively.

Subsequent to the Cabinet approval, a joint Parliamentary Memo was also sent to Parliament for approval. Parliament at its 57th Sitting held on Thursday, 16th August, 2012 also approved by Resolution the two Credit Agreements between Government of Ghana and USA Exim Bank and HSBC Bank respectively. The approvals were communicated in two separate letters from parliament to the Ministry of Health on 1ih August, 2012.

The Ministry of Health at this point wrote to the Public Procurement Authority to request for their approval to sale source Messrs BBI and got the approval on 13th December, 2012. Single Source Procurement was used to fulfill the terms and conditions in the Financial Agreements.

The Ministry of Health after reviewing all the designs and the proposed contract documents submitted by the Contractor, officially forwarded the documents including the designs to Ministry of Finance for Value-for-Money assessment and negotiations thereof on is" December, 2012.

Crown Agents released their first report on the Value for Money Assessment in July, 2013. The report largely requested for some clarifications to which MOH and the Contractor responded. The final Report was then released on 15th" September 2013. A GOG team meeting was held on 30th September to discuss the report submitted by Crown Agents and to agree on points for negotiations with the Contractors.

Project Components

The Greater Accra Regional Hospital is conceived as an ultra-modern hospital with 620 in-patient and intensive care and day care beds providing health care services in medical and surgical specialties and sub-specialties.

The proposed project shall be a compact medium rise building and associated electromechanical installations comprises construction of a second level hospital with teaching and ancillary facilities. The key departments include the following:

1. Surgery

2. Radiology (MRI, CT Scan, X-Ray, ECG and Ultrasound)

3. Internal Medicine

4. Pharmacy

5. Maternal and Pediatric care

6. Accident Emergency

7. Ear, Nose and Throat

8. Ophthalmology

9. Dermatology

10. Physiotherapy

11. Dentistry

12. Urology

13. Cardiology

14. Laboratory

15. Anesthesia

16. Teaching

17. Administration and support Services Comprising Catering, stores CSSD, Transport, Laundry, Maintenance and Mortuary

18. Medical Gas systems

19. Sewerage Treatment Plant

20. Landscaping

21. Roads

22. 500 Parking areas

23. Drainage

24. Transformers to support Electricity Supply and Back-up Power Generators

25. Telephone

26. Internet connectivity

27. Supply and Installation of Medical and Non-medical Equipment

28. 84 Staff Housing Accommodation for medical officers, nurses, technicians, overnight and emergency staff.

The Contractor responded to the above requirements to cost about
USD$306,000,000 but due to Ministry of Finance's credit limit on borrowing in 2012, Government could only borrow an amount of USD$ 250,000,000.

On the basis of the limitation in government's capacity to borrow, the Contractor was requested to submit a proposal tailored to the reduced budget. It was therefore agreed with the Contractor to implement the project in stages hence the two phases.

It should be emphasized however, that, the design has been done for a 620 bed to encompass all the requirements above for which all the technical support services are enshrined in phase 1.

A design proposals and cost for a 620 bed hospital to be implemented in two phases -but allowing the first phase to be fully functioning even if phase 2 was not built- was therefore forwarded to Ministry of Finance for Value for money assessment as a single-source turnkey arrangement based on the FIDIC EPC•

Conditions of Contract Yellow Book 1999. .

Messrs Crown Agents issued their first report in July, 2013. The report sought for some clarifications on the Contractor's proposals to which MOH and the Contractor responded. Some of the clarifications are the following;

1. Clarifications on BOQ

2. Floor areas disparities

3. Phasing

4. Technical specifications (architectural engineering, electro-mechanical)

5. Medical equipment and training requirements

As part of the processes it is a procedure to have the negotiations moderated by the body that issues the VFM report. A Government of Ghana team comprising of Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health therefore met to review the final VFM report from Crown Agents on 30th September, 2013.

Crown Agents moderated the meeting under the chairmanship of Ministry of Finance. The GOG team agreed on the points for negotiations to meet with the contractor on 2nd October, 2013.

The major issue that was negotiated upon, was the pricing. The contractor justified their offer by indicating that they were not over-priced by $142M as has been indicated in the report. After extensive negotiations and justification by the contractor, Crown Agents were still of the opinion that the project cost could still be reduced by $88,254,720.

The issues and reasons for which CAGL stripped the unit cost of BBI from an estimated $6757/m2 to the EFMP of $3000/m2 was then the focus of the negotiations.

Subsequently, BBI in their analysis put forward further justifications which are specific to the Ridge Hospital project and which justify the contractor’s pricing.

The estimated Fair Market Price by Crown Agents was considered unreasonable and under estimated for the kind of hospital and Employer’s specifications under consideration.

In comparison to the recently procured Legon hospital, the Contractor further emphasized that the total 54, 144m2 of the Ridge Hospital project are entirely developed and fitted out and that neither 'Shell & Core only' areas provided for future spaces is considered under the Ridge Hospital space programme.

After a detailed discussion, the Parties agreed as follows:

• That some of the considerations for additional prices cannot be fully justified. This is in reference to an additional 10% assigned to the cost of providing full turnkey solution and exhaustive FFE provisions. A package that is taken into account of the Legon unit cost as well. On the basis of the BBI’s price breakdown provided in table of appendix C, the employer should pursue a discount.

• That the BBI estimated adjusted EFMP is $5637m/ for construction of both phases 1 and 2

Further negotiation on Price resulted in the following:

The Contractor agreed to accommodate the following items as part of their project cost.

• BBI considers that there will be additional costs in insurance, transportation of materials and equipment due to the source of supply.

• BBI agreed to provide funding to support the employer's Project Management Organisation (PMO).

• Provision shall be made for both user and technical consumables for one. Year under the medical equipment package.

• Double the number of staff housing units

• Provide 3 years maintenance program on major items

The meeting then requested for the price breakdown of all additional items to which BBI obliged. The final offer from BBI came to 9% ($27,085,715) which when further broken down comes to 8% ($17,812,195) savings on Phase 1 and 10% ($9,273,520) discount on Phase 2.

Conclusion

We wish to state that this project has really gone through all the necessary statutory approvals and laid down procedures for procuring single source projects.

The final report of Crown Agents advising on value for Money made some
recommendations, which have been fully implemented, and these formed part of the submissions to parliament in February 2014.

It must also be indicated that the project is not refurbishment but a fully functional ultra-modern new and purpose-built hospital to be built on an occupied site.

There is no evidence whatsoever to justify that the Contract price has been bloated and that it is the most expensive hospital in the world. Indeed the rates are comparable to similar sized hospitals with similar specifications internationally.

There is therefore no risk to the taxpayer. The realization of this project will therefore enhance secondary and tertiary level health care delivery in Ghana and also reduce huge sums of money spent on medical treatment abroad.

From: Ministry of Health

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

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COMMENTS

Name: AWUDU
NPP doesn't want the NDC government to do anything for GHANA. By that strategy, NPP believes they can come to power in 2016.

Name: CJO

Name: kwame
some people just make noise. most of us don't even know what goes in building and instead of us to ask we rather make noise. most people think the US306m is just for the buildings. it includes the cost of buildings, the Equipment and the installation.

Name: DUAH
SPON'S PRICE BOOK 2010 BY T&F SHOUD GIVE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW THE COST F SUCH PROJECT.

Name: mahama
THIS ARE SOME OF THEIR TRICKS. THE WAY NDC WANT TO STEAL MONEY FOR THEIR 2016 CAMPAIGN. THIS DUBIOUS DEAL SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED BY THE MINORITY ATALL.CREATE LOOT AND SHARE PARTY.BIG AHAME UNTO JOHN MAHAMA AND HIS WICKED PARTY NDC.NOW CEMENT IS 280 THOUSAND CEDIS A BAG WHY .

Name: Koam
this is a cover up lie. the Greater Accra Regional hospital is to be sited on the Tema Motorway and not Ridge. The ridge on is just refurbishment. Blatant lies. anyway just cross check what is also going into Dangote 1000 bed capacity hospital and see for yourself if we are getting our monies worth. Liars. God will punish you people for the needless death in our hospitals

Name: Apenkwah
Create' Loot' & Share' galore!

Name: kofi
IT IS NOT TRUE, THE MONEY WAS TOO MUCH, ROAD MONEY IS HUGE MORE THAN BUILDING FOR THAT MATTER, SO THIS VERY MONEY IS TOO MUCH, THE MINISTER AS GOT HIS SHEAR, WE KNOW THAT.

Name: HEY
JUST $306M. WHAT IS THE COST OF KUMASI SOFOLINE INTERCHANGE. $951M. WHERE IS OUR NEEDS? A FLAMBOYANT INTERCHANGE OF A LIFE SAVING FACILITY. 306 IS EVEN SMALL. A DUSBIN IN A LAB IS 500GHS.

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