By Muniratu Akweley Issah
Accra, July 08, GNA- The lack of land is hampering the commencement of the Agenda 111 Project at Nungua in the Krowor Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
The Agenda 111 is an initiative by the government to establish 101 District Hospitals, Seven Regional Hospitals and three Psychiatric Hospitals to improve healthcare in the Districts and the Rural areas.
Dr Nsiah Asare, Presidential Advisor in Charge of the Agenda 111 Project, said that the government had made frantic efforts for the commencement of the Project in the Krowor Municipality but had been unsuccessful as leaders had not been able to provide a piece of land.
“We have engaged the leaders of the community for a possible piece of land for the commencement of the project but that was not forthcoming,” he said.
Dr Asare said the Agenda 111 projects were at various stages of completion in the various beneficiary districts and regions across the country, however, some districts in the Greater Accra Region were struggling to provide land for the project.
The Krowor Municipal Assembly is one of the Assemblies in the Greater Accra Region expected to benefit from the Agenda 111 project, however, the inability of local traditional leadership to provide a suitable land remained a concern.
Meanwhile, Nii Afotey Botwe II, a Divisional Chief of Nungua Otinor, has confirmed that Traditional leaders were unable to provide a piece of land for the project.
He expressed disappointment over the inability of the Traditional leaders to provide suitable land for the construction of the Municipal Hospital for the area under the Agenda 111 projects.
The Divisional Chief told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the entire Nungua town was choked as the parcels of land had all been sold to private individuals and organisations and were being developed.
He said it was disheartening and a concern that no land had been left free for developmental projects just like agenda 111 and some other projects, adding, “It is so sad that Nungua has not been able to provide land for the project, our people have sold all the lands, not leaving any for future use.”
He feared that the Municipality would not benefit from the project due to inappropriate management of the lands.
“Nungua had lots of land, we gave it out for settlement and within the last 40 years took over and mismanaged it. Now we do not know what is happening in Nungua, the government brought a lot of projects, but we have no land to execute them,” he added.
He said they have some land which was acquired by the government for residential purposes and another vast piece of land given to State Housing, but such spaces are being encroached for development without authorisation.
Nii Botwe said the Lekma Polyclinic situated in Nungua was not spacious enough to serve the whole of Nungua and its environs.
The Divisional Chief expressed regret as similar developmental projects, expected to be situated in the Municipality, had not been possible as they lacked available land for the execution of projects.
He made it known that the Lekma Municipal Hospital, which is currently serving the people of Teshie, and its environs was supposed to be built in Nungua to serve the entire Township and its environs but was not made possible due to lack of space.
Nii Botwe II allegedly blamed the traditional leaders for their selfish interest in giving all the lands away without thinking about the future.
He suggested that while the authorities were struggling to get a suitable space for the project, some of the government-acquired lands should be used for the project.
“Despite the fact that we have sold the lands, there are some lands that were taken by the government, and I think it is necessary to use such spaces once the project is still being executed by the government.
Some of the pieces of land are just there, there is so much encroachment and it is better to acquire those properties to benefit from the project,” he added.
GNA