By Lawrencia Akoto Frempong, GNA
Kpone, Oct 02, GNA – The Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Assembly (KKMA) has broken ground on the building of a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) office in Kpone, intended to benefit the municipality.
The initiative, anticipated to be finished in eight months, will be developed by Handosky International Limited.
Mr. Samuel Tetteh Kwarshie Morton, the Municipal Chief Executive of Kpone-Katamanso, stated that since the establishment of the municipality in 2012, the assembly has been working hard to improve social infrastructure within the area, and the sod cutting marks a clear indication of the government's dedication to making services more accessible to residents.
Mr. Morton mentioned that NHIS is still one of the nation's most significant social programs, providing people from all backgrounds with access to cost-effective medical care, and noted that the lack of a permanent, adequately funded NHIS office in the local government has been a persistent issue.
He mentioned that once finished, residents would soon experience quicker registration into the NHIS, along with enhanced customer service in a respectful setting.
He valued the Member of Parliament (MP), assembly members, traditional leaders, and other interested parties who, through various means in recent years, arranged for free NHIS registration cards for community residents.
Mr. Morton also expressed gratitude to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the government for giving this project top priority, and called on everyone to contribute their part to ensure the project is finished on time.
He also urged the contractor and consultants to hire individuals from the municipality to participate in the project as a means of creating employment opportunities for young people who are unemployed.
Mr. Joseph Akuertey Tettey, the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Kpone-Katamanso Constituency, observed that the government has repeatedly pledged to enhance the NHIS in order to achieve comprehensive healthcare coverage by emphasizing financial security and facilities.
Mr. Tettey mentioned that the local chiefs and the assembly offered the land for building the office following talks about the necessity of establishing a municipal office for the NHIA to address the issue of residents having to go to other districts for insurance.
He repeated the request to the contractor to operate according to the timeline and meet the necessary specifications.
Mr. Osman Iddurisu Bampuori, the Operations Manager at NHIA, Greater Accra, mentioned that the initiative arises from the continuous efforts and backing of the local leadership and the paramount chief of Kpone, Nii Tetteh Out II, to enable NHIA to fulfill its mission of delivering healthcare access to everyone.
Dr. Priscilla Esther Biamah Danquah, head of the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Health Department, mentioned that for a long time, residents of Kpone Katamanso have encountered difficulties in fully benefiting from the program, as families have had to travel great distances to register or update their cards and address problems.
Dr. Danquah stated that this challenge has imposed financial and time-related pressures on the residents, deterring others from joining the program, and noted that the lack of an office has created obstacles to accessing healthcare, particularly for the most disadvantaged members of the community.
She mentioned that the office will not only make essential health insurance services more accessible to the public but also enhance initiatives aimed at attaining universal healthcare coverage, with health financing being a contributing factor.
"We are excited to witness the office functioning as a symbol of hope, enhancing enrollment, simplifying access, and guaranteeing responsibility in providing health insurance services, and we commit our complete backing to the NHIA as a local assembly to ensure this effort succeeds and jointly create more robust and inclusive healthcare services," she mentioned.
Nii Tetteh Oglie II, the leader of Mlitsakpo, acting on behalf of the supreme chief of the Kpone Traditional Area, Nii Tetteh Otu II, recognized the significance of the initiative as it marked a crucial step toward further development in the Kpone-Katamanso region.
Nii Oglie stated that the local authority encountered numerous difficulties and thus requested the government's support for the municipality.
Mr. Theodore Edwards, the Managing Director of Handosky International Limited, assured that his company would strive to finish the project on schedule and maintain its quality, while also hiring some local workers.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Sawer/Kenneth Odeng Adade
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