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Factual account of the conception and construction trajectory of the 5 polyclinics (In the northern region) under reference.

Abdul Malik Kweku Baako writes;

In the “BETTER GHANA AGENDA…TOP 50 ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PROF. JOHN EVANS ATTA MILLS-LED GOVERNMENT IN HIS FIRST TWO YEARS IN OFFICE” Booklet issued by the Mills Administration in 2011, it was reported on page 28 that “Construction of 5 Polyclinics with specialized maternity facilities in Northern Region at Karaga, Kpandai, Tatale, Jange and Chereponi with financial support from the Australian Government completed and handed over “. FACT!

RELATED FACTS; on Tuesday, 12th August 2008, Parliament approved by Resolution a loan facility between the Government of Ghana and the Government of Austria through Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG for an amount of €7,650,000.00 for the CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPPING OF FIVE POLYCLINICS NAMELY: KARAGA, KPANDAI, TATALE, JANYA AND CHEREPONI IN THE NORTHERN REGION”.

Subsequently, on 24th October 2008, a request for waiver of tax liability on equipment/materials to be imported or purchased locally, corporate tax and other taxes totalling €1, 347, 842.00 in respect of the construstion of the 5 Polyclinics was laid in the House and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and report in line with Article 174 of the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House.

•On 12th November 2008, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Nii Adu Mante, with the permission of the Speaker, moved for the House to adopt the Report of the Finance Committee on the request for the waiver of Tax Liability on the Equipment and Materials for the 5 Polyclinics project in accordance with Article 174(2) of the Constitution.

•The Finance Committee was of the view that the request for waiver of tax liability on Equipment and Materials was “consequential to the loan that the House approved in August 2008 for the construction of five polyclinics in the Northern Region”(See Hansard: 12th November 2008; Column 1948).

•Consequently, the Question was put and motion agreed to. The House unanimously approved the request for waiver of tax liability via a Resolution passed on 12th November 2008.

SUMMARY: The genesis of the 5 Polyclinics under reference goes back to Parliamentary processes and approvals in August, October and November 2008. Actual construction began in 2009 and got completed in 2011 during the Mills Administration.

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