The contractor in charge of the Weija Children’s Hospital has been picked up by officials from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) after meeting with the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, over the delay in opening the hospital.
The contractor was invited to a meeting with the Health Minister on Friday, July 10, to discuss the completion and handover of the hospital, which has been fully built but has remained closed for more than two years.
Sources familiar with the meeting said the government asked the contractor to hand over the facility so it could be opened to the public, especially because there is a growing need for specialised healthcare services for children in the area.
However, the contractor reportedly refused.
He insisted that he would not hand over the hospital until the government paid the remaining money owed under the contract or gave a clear guarantee on when the outstanding payment would be made.
According to the sources, the contractor said he could not release the hospital until the payment issues had been settled.
After the meeting, EOCO officials reportedly picked up the contractor and took him to the agency’s headquarters. The reason for the action has not yet been officially explained, and EOCO has not released a statement on the matter.
The Ministry of Health has also not made any public comment on the incident.
The Weija Children’s Hospital has become a major public concern because it has remained closed even though construction was completed more than two years ago.
The 120-bed specialist hospital, located in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality, was built to improve access to healthcare for children and reduce pressure on major hospitals such as Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital.
The hospital is expected to provide specialised care for newborn babies, children and teenagers. It includes modern wards, operating theatres, intensive care units and outpatient services.
Although the building is complete, the hospital has still not been commissioned or opened to the public because of unresolved contract and administrative issues, including disagreements over unpaid money and the completion of other supporting works.
The continued delay has drawn criticism from health experts and residents, especially as hospitals continue to deal with increasing numbers of patients and occasional disease outbreaks.
