Member of Parliament for the La Dadekotopon Constituency, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah has stated that the next NDC government will ensure the completion and operationalization of the stalled reconstruction of the La General Hospital.
Her assurance comes amidst an increased frustration of residents over the prolonged delay in the reconstruction of the La General Hospital.
The residents lamented their businesses have suffered due to the closure of the hospital.
But a few days before the elections, the residents have lost hope in the government’s ability to rebuild the hospital.
Rita Odoley Sowah has however promised to ensure the completion of the project should there be a change of government. My colleague Andy Oppong has more in this report.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health’s Public Relations Officer, Isaac Ofei, has disclosed that the La General Hospital project is expected to be completed in the third quarter of next year, adding that the project is an issue of contention for everyone.
“The government could have done better.”
“They do not care about it,” she said.
She questioned how Trade Fair has become a private entity, thus exempted from government development plans, “I do not buy that,” she refused the claim.
Background
In the heart of Accra’s La Dadekotopon constituency sits an empty lot, the former site of La General Hospital, once a vital healthcare provider to thousands.
In 2020, the hospital was demolished due to severe structural concerns, with President Akufo-Addo initiating a reconstruction project on August 10, 2020. Yet, four years on, the site hospital remains uncompleted, and the community is left without a central hospital.
Funding and staff shortages have delayed the rebuild, leaving both residents and healthcare workers in a state of limbo. Despite these challenges, the community is holding onto hope that the hospital will soon be restored, bringing healthcare access back within reach.
But as the wait prolongs, the Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, Rita Odoley Sowah says should the NDC win the 2024 elections, they will see to the completion and operationalization of the hospital.
She added that the government has shown less commitment to completing the project bemoaning that the delay in completing the hospital has led to an increase in mortality within the constituency.
Residents say the delay in completion of the hospital has not only affected their access to healthcare but has also taken a toll on their businesses as hospital staff and visitors who used to purchase their products are no longer available.
By Andy Oppong
