The completion of the government's Agenda 111 district hospital in Nabdam District, Upper East Region, is facing significant delays, causing concern among the local youth and women who are now threatening to boycott the 2024 general elections.
The project, which was awarded to T.K Waters Construction in April 2021, has experienced a two-year standstill, leading community members to fear that it may be abandoned entirely.
Expressing their frustration, they have called on the government to expedite the project's completion as scheduled, or else they will take action.
While other beneficiary districts have made considerable progress in their hospital projects, such as Bolga East, Garu, Tempane, and Kassena-Nankana West, community members have been unsuccessful in their attempts to get government officials to explain the reason for the stalled Nabdam project.
During a joint press conference held in Nangodi, the spokesperson for the Nabdam committees of health and public relations and complaints, POGNAB Grace Bewong, commended the government for initiating the project.
However, she emphasized that their decision to boycott the 2024 elections still stands if the project remains incomplete.
“The Chiefs and people of the Nabdam Traditional Area were very desirous of the project, and they negotiated with farmers and community members to volunteer by giving 100 acres of their farmlands for the project,” she stated.
“However, the project has now become a standstill. The District Health Committee and Public Relations and Complaint Committee have received complaints severally from the Chiefs and people demanding answers from duty bearers why other beneficiary districts have their projects almost completed while the contractor awarded with the contract in the Nabdam district has not finished even the foundation level.”
Bewong further expressed the community's perception that the government does not prioritize the Nabdam District and warned that if the demands for the completion of the project are not met, the community members will take action during the forthcoming general elections.
In interviews conducted by Citi News, some community members highlighted the negative impact of the stalled project on their healthcare needs and urged the government to take immediate action by ensuring contractors resume work, or else face consequences.
Faustina Yenzei voiced her concerns, stating, “We're very worried because this contract started in 2021, and the way it has been delayed we're very sad. This hospital when completed will help us a lot because we don't have any hospital, and if we fall sick, we have to travel all the way to Bolga regional hospital. So we want the government to get us a contractor who is ready to complete this project. If this project doesn't complete by next year's elections in 2024, we will not vote.”
Martin Lamisi, another resident, echoed these sentiments, saying, “Not that we'll not vote, but maybe we'll not vote the government into power anymore because we're expecting them to be working, and I know the government has done well for giving us the project, but maybe it is the contractor or whoever is responsible for the project to go on, which is not going on, and that's our worry. We don't want this project to be abandoned because it will affect healthcare delivery, so we'll continue to cry until the government addresses our concerns.”
