The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has revealed that no hospital under the Agenda 111 programme is currently operational, despite the previous administration spending about GH¢4.8 billion on the initiative.

Appearing before Parliament's Assurance Committee on Thursday, July 9, the Minister said the government inherited more than GH¢1 billion in outstanding Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) owed to contractors, while none of the projects were in a state capable of providing healthcare services.

He explained that the government has identified 35 Agenda 111 projects for continuation, with contractors directed to return to their respective sites.

However, he declined to provide timelines for their completion, saying doing so would be premature as some contracts may still require restructuring.

"Mr Chairman, I do not want to give specific dates, and this is the reason. We have identified 35. We've asked contractors to go to the site. Maybe there are others who may even have to terminate and repackage. And you may have to set a new date for completion, which we haven't gotten there yet. So if I give you any date, I'll be called back before the committee to come and answer questions," he said.

The Minister added that the government's 2026 Budget made provision for work to commence on 10 of the identified projects, which form part of the 35 selected for completion.

"Mr Chairman, if you check the 2026 Budget, we said we were going to start 10 in 2026. The 10 is a subset of the 35. So we've asked the contractors, some of them, to even go back to the site. So some, they are already on site, and others are yet to go back."

Mr Akandoh said the government is also processing payments owed to contractors to enable them to resume work.

"And Mr Chairman, we have also started, because you see, about GH¢4.8 billion was spent on Agenda 111. But unfortunately, we don't have a single one of them that could save a life today.

"And we have come to meet IPCs, people who have completed jobs, contractors who have completed jobs, and they are yet to be paid. And the debt is around a billion, a little above GH¢1 billion. So while we are calling some of them to go back to the site, we are also processing to pay the IPCs, so that we will pay the IPCs, get them money to go back to the site, and then continue the project."

During the hearing, members of the committee sought clarification on the operational status of the hospitals, noting that some facilities had previously been commissioned.

Responding to a question on how many Agenda 111 hospitals were functional, the Minister answered, "Zero."

When reminded that some facilities had been commissioned under the previous administration, Mr Akandoh maintained that none were fully completed or equipped to provide healthcare services.

"About three were commissioned, while they were not completed. Mr Chairman, I have had the cause to go to these sites myself, and they had not installed the full complement of the equipment needed to run the facilities."

He further alleged that temporary arrangements were made to facilitate the commissioning ceremonies without making the facilities operational.

"And so, Mr Chairman, they were commissioned, and in some cases, generators were carried to the site for the commissioning, and after the commissioning, it was taken back, and the place was locked."

The Health Minister stressed that a project should only be commissioned after it has been completed, handed over to the ministry, and is ready for use.

"Mr Chairman, you commission a project if the contractor hands over the project to the Ministry, and then maybe you settle all that you need to settle, and then you go ahead and commission the project."

He insisted that the current administration did not inherit any commissioned Agenda 111 hospital that was fully operational or staffed.