The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of abandoning the reconstruction of the La General Hospital and deceiving Ghanaians about the progress of work.
A visit by the Minority caucus of the Health Committee of Parliament to the project site led by the Ranking Member, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, revealed that work had stalled at the site.
The hospital, which was in a deplorable condition was pulled down in March 2020 to make way for the construction of a new one at a cost of 680 million Euros.
However, two years down the line, work is yet to commence on the site.
Speaking to the media, Mr Mintah Akandoh called on the government to ensure that the contractor immediately returns to site to complete the project.
“The hasn’t been much improved, the only difference I see here is that they have grown some okro on the field. The project that was supposed to be completed in 24 months. This month is the 29th month but look at what is going on here. If we have to come here hundred times, we will come. Getting the job done is our target and we’ll continue to come here until this project is fully executed.”
He said it was about time the president and minister of health treated the constituents fairly.
“We are telling the Minister [of Health] that we are religiously following his lies, and we are telling him that nothing is being done here contrary to the impression he created to the people of this country on the 14th of March 2022,” Mr. Akandoh added.
The project is being financed by a credit facility from Standard Chartered Bank of the United Kingdom, with an export credit guarantee from Sinosure of the People’s Republic of China, to the tune of €68 million with an insurance cover of €3,860,349.18.
A Chinese company, Poly Changda, will undertake the project.
Upon completion, it will be transformed into a 160-bed facility and will be fitted with an outpatient department; inpatient wards; maternity and neonatal services; surgical unit with four theatres; accident and emergency department; public health department; pharmacy unit; laboratory; administration; imaging area, with CT Scan, X-ray room, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, mammography units; physiotherapy unit; and a mortuary.
The facility, which was formerly known as the La Polyclinic, was established in the early 1960s.
It mainly serves residents of La, Osu, Teshie, Nungua and its surrounding areas with their healthcare needs.