Agenda 111: Two Men Arrested, Another on the Run for Stealing Iron Rods From Akufo-Addo Project

• Two men have been arrested over the theft of iron rods from the Agenda 111 hospital project site at Ofaakor
• The arrested persons were reportedly found leaving the site with 31 pieces of 18-millimetre rods in their tricycle
• During interrogation, they allegedly owned up to the theft, stating it was their second time stealing from the site

Two men have been arrested for allegedly stealing iron rods from the Agenda 111 hospital project site at Ofaakor in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region.

The two are said to be in the custody of the Kasoa Ofaakor Jei River Police.

Adom News reported that a third suspect is on the run. The arrested persons were found with 31 pieces of 18-millimetre iron rods in their tricycle.

During interrogation, they allegedly admitted to the crime, explaining that it was their second time stealing iron rods from the site.

The three were leaving the site with the tricycle but were intercepted by security men at the Odupong Ofaakor Senior High School.

They subsequently fled with the stolen property and were chased down with the help of some community members.

The Agenda 111 project, initiated by the Government of Ghana during Nana Akufo-Addo's presidency, aims to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare by constructing hospitals in every district and region.

The project includes the design, construction, and commissioning of 101 district hospitals, seven regional hospitals, two psychiatric hospitals, and the redevelopment of existing facilities. All hospitals will feature staff accommodation and a model for accelerated health infrastructure development.

With not even a single one of the hospitals operational yet, the present administration has accused its predecessor of leaving no dedicated source of funding for the 'gargantuan project', bringing work at various project sites to a standstill.

The government has said $400 million has been spent on the project, but with no outcomes so far.

Past thefts from Agenda 111 sites

In December 2024, a truck loaded with several tonnes of iron rods suspected to have been looted from an Agenda 111 project site in the Sunyani West Municipality in the Bono Region was intercepted.

The Astra DAF truck was carrying the alleged loot from a project site in Odumase. The truck, branded with CONSAR LTD’s logo, was found loading building materials from the construction site without a permit.

Graphic Online stated that a press release from Charles Akowuah Tuffour, the Regional Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said that some party members and police officers intercepted the truck.

The team also intercepted and impounded another truck, registration number GC 9423-11, transporting about 160 state streetlight bulbs from the Bono Regional Minister’s residence.

Akufo-Addo urges Mahama to prioritise Agenda 111

YEN.com.gh also reported that then-President Akufo-Addo urged John Mahama to prioritise the completion of the Agenda 111 projects during his last State of the Nation Address in January 2025.

He said that while his government had successfully completed a number of hospitals, many were still under construction, calling the project a cornerstone of Ghana’s healthcare development.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh