The construction of the Mother and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi remains stalled, with the project consultant warning that prolonged payment delays are damaging materials procured for the facility.
Consultant Project Manager Emmanuel Fobi Asabere said some construction materials have become defective or expired, while others risk losing their warranty protection because of the extended suspension of work.
He made the disclosure when Parliament’s Select Committee on Health visited the abandoned project to assess its progress and challenges.
According to Mr Asabere, the contractor has been unable to resume full-scale construction because payments for work already undertaken remain outstanding.
The project has reportedly been suspended for about 14 months, following an earlier period when work proceeded at a reduced pace.
He said the contractor had continued to maintain the site during the interruptions but was awaiting payment to return and complete the work.
The project, initiated in November 2019, was initially intended to complete an existing hospital structure with a capacity of about 850 beds.
However, structural defects discovered after the contractor took over the site prompted further assessments by three firms and the Ghana Institution of Engineers.
The assessment found that repairing the existing structure would not be economically viable, leading to its demolition and the redesign of the facility into a 509-bed hospital.
Mr Asabere said the project had reached approximately 56 per cent physical completion, while procurement was 75 per cent complete. Design work and demolition of the old structure have been completed.
The initial contract cost was GH¢188.5 million, but prolonged suspensions have resulted in additional costs.
Materials procured for the project include air-conditioning systems, electrical components and building facade materials. Some are being stored in a warehouse near Rase Course, pending the resumption of construction.
Mr Asabere warned that further delays could require manufacturers to revalidate certain materials before installation, potentially increasing costs.
