The Presidential Candidate of the New Force, Nana Kwame Bediako has raised concerns about the poor management of public health facilities in Ghana blaming it largely on inadequate financial flow due to people’s inability to afford medical care.

As part of his 12 pillars of economic freedom, Nana Kwame Bediako is introducing what he calls the “SSNIT Revolution”.

Speaking to officials at the Hohoe Hospital in the Volta Region as part of his 276 nationwide tour ahead of the 2024 elections, Mr Bediako, who expatiated on his plan to revolutionize how pension contributions are used by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) will be a game-changer for healthcare affordability and the sustainability of public health facilities.

In a conversation with an official of the hospital, Nana Kwame Bediako highlighted the obstacles within the health sector, particularly the lack of affordable healthcare options.

Read Also: No industrialisation, no 24-hour economy – Cheddar

He said the introduction of the "SSNIT Revolution," one of his 12 Pillars for Economic Freedom, will ease this burden.

Under this policy, SSNIT contributors would gain access to their funds after five years to cover healthcare expenses, promoting a more active circulation of funds in the system. He said this measure will also attract investors to the health sector to improve health delivery in Ghana.

“We really have something to help this country, and that’s why we want you to believe in us. One of our ideas is the SSNIT revolution. Why are you holding the money for 40 years? Release the money in five years and put the money in an insurance scheme so that everyone who gets sick and works can now use the insurance to cure themselves, which means the money will now start circulation in the system.”

The problem is the circulation of the money. So because there’s no circulation, maybe 50% of the people in Hohoe cannot afford their hospital bills” he noted.

He said the lack of circulation of funds eventually takes a toll on many public health facilities that eventually rely on donations to stay afloat.

“Then the hospital building is just there and after 20 years it gets depleted and then it comes with complaints and everything. It’s like a hotel that’s running down because there’s no sustainability. I think this is what is happening in every hospital we’ve visited. It’s the same thing I saw in Sunyani, somewhere in Tamale, and many other places. It’s because there’s no affordability and circulation.

“That’s why we believe that the SSNIT revolution where we invest people’s tax money into an insurance scheme to become like some sort of bank funds to pay for these things will not only let the money circulate in the hospitals but will also invest and attract investors because now the money is there. Without the money, no one is going to put in their investment” he noted.

Nana Kwame Bediako visits the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS)

Still, in Hohoe, Nana Kwame Bediako in the company of his running mate, Dr Maryam Issaka Kriese and other members of the New Force engaged with executives of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) to discuss other critical issues facing the country.

In his address, Nana Kwame Bediako emphasized the Volta Region's potential to become a major industrial hub, capable of connecting the nation through the Volta River and establishing vital distribution channels for locally processed goods.

He also expressed concern about the "brain drain" phenomenon, noting that Ghana invests heavily in educating its citizens, only to see them leave for opportunities abroad, while the country imports finished products made from its raw materials.

He noted that this cycle must end for Ghana’s growth to be realized.

He further advised the people of the Volta Region to prioritize the nation over party loyalty, suggesting that they vote for meaningful change rather than sticking with one party that has not delivered progress.