General News of Wednesday, 26 December 2018
Source: Daniel Kaku
2018-12-26
Drone
The Caucus for Democratic Governance, Ghana (CDG-GH), on the basis of its research, has rejected the use of drones for healthcare emergency purposes, and described it as misplaced priority.
According to Chief Convener of CDG-GH, Dr E. K. Hayfod said in the purchase of the drones, the President as usual failed to consult stakeholders, who have now come out clearly to reject the use of drones because it does not fit into the existing concept.
He added “The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), one of the tentacles at the heart of healthcare, was not consulted. Indeed the purchase and subsequent application of the drone delivery project, which massively depend on the expertise of members of the GMA, was done without consultation”.
Governance without consultation
He however opined “Ghanaians would recall that the President has always left out the technocrats when it has to do with consultation in a project planning and execution. They are often forced to carry out what politics fashion out”.
He added, “Typical examples are planting for food and job, the fee free SHS, building of a National Cathedral and many other government projects. For lack of planning, conceptualization and consultation with stakeholders, almost all major flagship projects have failed to yield the anticipated results”.
GMA speaks
According to GMA, “the proposed service to be provided by the drones, do not conform to the primary healthcare policy in Ghana, where different levels of case have different capacities to perform specific functions. The use of drones, without the necessary improvement in the human resource capacity would not benefit the country in its quest to improve health delivery”.
Value for money
The Minority in Parliament, think the $12.5 million project, does not render value for money.
The Minority has alleged, the government was going to purchase drones at a cost of $1 million when it was selling at $100,000. It was also alleged government had sole-sourced a contract to company when it could have opened up for competitive tendering.
The Minority spokesman said per the $12.5 million contract signed, with Fly Zipline, the company would be making over 600% profit at the taxpayers expense.
Equipment in remote areas
He wondered “Where the technocrats are left on the side lines, the targeted clinics and health facilities in remote areas – villages and hamlets- may not have doctors and nurses and equipment for the administration of these transported blood and essential medication”.
“As stated above, some consultation and discussion would have saved the super corrupt and incompetent government from wasting the taxpayers money on drones”, he emphasized.
The CDG-GH Chief Convenor seized the opportunity to advise the government to wake up to work on the change they promised Ghanaians in 2016 campaign.
“CDG-GH with this press release, seeks to advise the government to wake up. The people of Ghana have seen unprecedented corruption and incompetence from this family and friends government. The change you called for in 2016, is not the change would wish”, he concluded.