Goaso residents shocked as Mahama says he is unaware of abandoned infectious disease centre

Residents of Goaso in the Ahafo Region have expressed shock after President John Dramani Mahama reportedly said he was unaware of an abandoned infectious disease centre at the Goaso Municipal Hospital.

The President made the remark during a question-and-answer session at his regional accountability tour in Goaso, where residents say the status of the uncompleted facility remains a major concern.

The 100-bed-capacity centre was started in 2021 under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP)-led government. Residents say the project is believed to be about 95 per cent complete but has remained abandoned, despite its potential to strengthen healthcare delivery in the area.

They are calling on the government to urgently assign a contractor to complete the remaining works and commission the facility for use.

According to the residents, completing the centre would significantly improve healthcare services in Goaso and surrounding communities, particularly in the management and treatment of infectious diseases.

They questioned why a project they consider vital to public health should remain unfinished when, in their assessment, only a small portion of the work is outstanding.

“Per our checks, the facility is about 95 per cent completed, so this government must complete and commission it for us,” some residents said.

The residents also urged government officials and authorities in the Ahafo Region to provide the President with accurate and comprehensive information about developments and challenges in the region.

They argued that the President’s reported lack of knowledge about the facility raised questions about the flow of information between local authorities and the Presidency.

“For the President to say publicly that he has no idea of any infectious disease centre at Goaso Hospital clearly tells that our leaders in the region are not working as expected,” the residents said.

They maintained that the facility remained important to the community and appealed to the government to prioritise its completion rather than allow the investment already made in the project to go to waste.

The government has yet to provide a confirmed timeline for completing the centre or clarify the current status of the project.