Unlike previous addresses from President Nana Akufo-Addo that received massive applauds from the general public, the 8th national address on Sunday has been greeted with lots of questions and rejection.
Key among what he said was the announcement of plans to construct 94 new hospitals across 88 districts and the six newly created regions.
These new health facilities, according to him, are intended to complement the existing ones and fortify the delivery of health challenges highlighted by the pandemic.
Following this announcement, some Ghanaians, who are unhappy with the statement, have reacted on social media.
Some of them have questioned among other things why a government that is yet to complete some hospitals and Community-based Health Planning and Service compounds started by the erstwhile Mahama administration, will construct new ones.
Most argue that with the trend in politicians making more promises than fulfilling them, the announcement is likely to be a campaign strategy to keep the Akufo-Addo government in power as the 2020 election beckons.
Although the President said plans on how to achieve this will be made available to Ghanaians, some people are wondering how that will be achieved considering that the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic has stretched the country’s finances. They say this makes it impossible to fund new projects.
Read views below:
You lock up completed health facilities and you're going to spend money to build 88 afresh? What do they feed President Akufo-Addo at the Flagstaff House to produce this warped kind of thinking? pic.twitter.com/U0VrwK4YMV
— Nat G. Tetteh?? (@NatTettehGhana) April 26, 2020
0 hospital in 3 years!
— Che?????? (@CheEsquire) April 26, 2020
88 hospitals in 8 months
This sort of scam can only come from Mr Akufo-Addo.
Scam Alert!!!
— PRINCE HENRY KOFORIDUA ?? (@tabi_henry) April 26, 2020
Just watch President Akufo Addo @NAkufoAddo video Promising to build 350 SHS in his first 18 months when Ghanaians voted for him in the 2016 General Elections. #leadershipFailure pic.twitter.com/Bx2cv0ob0F
This is the uncompleted 120 Sekyere-Kumawu District Hospital.
— Che?????? (@CheEsquire) April 26, 2020
Now Mr Akufo-Addo says he’s going to 88 new district hospitals. pic.twitter.com/EHaSvOzqHF
It had to take a pandemic for Akufo-Addo to consider building hospitals in districts of Ghana? This tells you how much of a reactive leader Mr Akufo-Addo is. No planning, no vision, no strategy, no foresight whatsoever. Zero leadership!
— Nat G. Tetteh?? (@NatTettehGhana) April 26, 2020
What a pity! pic.twitter.com/5wVavI8i3h
I’m not sure Mr. Akufo-Addo read this speech privately before he made it public. He would’ve told them to remove that 88 District Hospitals in 8 months promise.
— Che?????? (@CheEsquire) April 26, 2020
It’s balderdash!
Read this if you are one of those gullible beings who believe Akufo Addo’s promises! pic.twitter.com/gtPD8G8aFo
— #Kwame Rikki ?????? (@ricword4u) April 26, 2020
Akufo Addo hasn't built a single hospital in over 3 years
— Ing. Nii Afotey Kwei ?????? (@niiafoteyquaye) April 26, 2020
Yet he wants us to believe he'll build 88 District hospitals in 1 year?
Ah ????? pic.twitter.com/17TuTmKC6B
Akufo-Addo who hasn’t built 1 hospital in 40 months will build 88 new hospitals from scratch in 8 months. Oh wow! What a magician!?
— Che?????? (@CheEsquire) April 26, 2020
Between January and April 2020, 54 Ghanaians have died of malaria, and 53 more have died of Cerebrospinal meningitis. Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo was on TV last night heaping praises on the Health Minister for sleeping on his job.
— Nat G. Tetteh?? (@NatTettehGhana) April 27, 2020
Circus! pic.twitter.com/TTigjFZCpq
Akufo Addo says he'll commence investment in health infrastructure across the country?
— Ing. Nii Afotey Kwei ?????? (@niiafoteyquaye) April 26, 2020
How about simply completing or opening existing hospitals pic.twitter.com/LEBQ3hXAEe