The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has defended its record on the Afari Military Hospital project, insisting that the facility is nearly complete and rejecting claims that substantial funds are still needed before construction can continue.
In a statement issued by the Party’s Policy Secretariat on Monday, June 16, 2026, the NPP said official records from the Ministry of Defence’s Project Implementation Unit show that the 500-bed hospital reached 92.5 percent completion by September 2024 and 98 percent completion by January 2025.
According to the party, suggestions that the project is only about 60 percent complete are inaccurate and misleading.
“The Afari Military Hospital is a 500-bed facility, and it is not at a partial stage of construction,” the statement noted, adding that only a limited amount of work remains before the facility can become operational.
The NPP further disclosed that as of September 2024, civil works on the core hospital stood at 97.5 percent completion, while architectural works had reached 87 percent.
Support facilities, including staff housing, were reportedly 77 percent complete, with roads and landscaping also nearing completion.
The party also challenged recent claims by government officials that approximately US$85 million is required before work on the project can resume.
According to the NPP, there is no documented evidence at either the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of Defence to justify such a figure.
The statement explained that the original contract sum of US$180 million, financed through a loan arrangement, had already been fully paid.
It added that an additional US$19.3 million negotiated to address delays caused by relocations of the project site was also settled in full by government.
Furthermore, the party said a separate contractor claim, initially estimated at over US$6.5 million but later negotiated down to US$3 million, has largely been paid, leaving only US$500,000 outstanding.
“On the available records, the only amount outstanding to the contractor is US$500,000,” the statement stressed.
Providing a historical background to the project, the NPP said the hospital was first awarded in 2008 for construction at Sofoline in Kumasi before being relocated several times and eventually sited at Afari.
Physical construction reportedly commenced in 2014.
The party noted that by December 2016, the project stood at about 40 percent completion but advanced significantly between 2017 and January 2025.
“Between 2017 and January 2025, the project advanced from roughly 40 percent to 98 percent,” the statement said, dismissing assertions that no meaningful work was carried out during the period.
The NPP maintained that its objective is not to apportion blame but to provide the public with an accurate account of the project’s progress.
The party called for the immediate settlement of the remaining US$500,000 owed to the contractor to facilitate the completion of the final works and operationalisation of the hospital for the benefit of the Ghana Armed Forces and residents of the Ashanti Region.
“The responsible course is straightforward. The outstanding US$500,000 should be settled, the remaining works completed, and any new figure presented for payment supported by verifiable records before public funds are committed,” the statement added.
The NPP also used the occasion to caution its senior members against making public comments that contradict the party’s established position on national issues.
According to the statement, remarks made by influential party figures should be based on verified facts and aligned with the party’s official stance in accordance with Article 4 of the NPP Constitution.
By 1960news.com
