The contractor responsible for the construction of the Weija Children’s Hospital has reportedly been picked up by officials of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following a meeting with the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, over the prolonged delay in the operationalisation of the health facility.
According to information available, the contractor attended a meeting with the Health Minister on Friday, July 10, to discuss the completion and handover of the hospital, which has remained unused despite the physical construction being completed more than two years ago.
Sources indicate that during the meeting, government officials urged the contractor to hand over the completed facility to enable the Ministry of Health to commission and open it to the public, citing the urgent need for specialised paediatric healthcare services in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality and surrounding communities.
However, the contractor reportedly declined the request, insisting that he could not hand over the hospital until the outstanding balance owed under the construction contract had been settled or government provided firm assurances on when the remaining payments would be made.
According to the sources, the contractor maintained that releasing the facility without resolving the outstanding financial obligations would be unacceptable.
Shortly after the meeting, officials from EOCO reportedly picked up the contractor and transported him to the agency’s headquarters.
The circumstances surrounding the action remain unclear, as EOCO has not issued an official statement explaining the reasons for the arrest or whether any formal charges have been filed.
Similarly, the Ministry of Health has yet to publicly comment on the development.
The Weija Children’s Hospital has become a subject of growing public concern after remaining unoperational despite its completion.
The 120-bed specialist facility, located in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality, was constructed to improve access to specialised healthcare services for children and reduce pressure on major referral institutions such as Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital.
The hospital is expected to provide comprehensive healthcare services for newborns, children and adolescents, with modern operating theatres, intensive care units, outpatient departments and specialised wards.
Despite the completion of the physical infrastructure, unresolved contractual and administrative issues—including disputes over outstanding payments and the completion of ancillary works—have delayed its commissioning and opening to the public.
The prolonged delay has drawn criticism from health stakeholders and residents, particularly at a time when healthcare facilities continue to experience increasing patient numbers and periodic disease outbreaks.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda and former Deputy Minister for Health, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has weighed in on the development.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Mr. Acquah alleged that the contractor was lured into the meeting before being arrested by EOCO over what he described as suspected contract overpricing.
“It is so interesting to learn that the Hon. Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh tricked the Weija Paediatric Hospital contractor into a meeting and caused his arrest by EOCO over what is suspected to be overpricing of the contract,” he wrote.
He further suggested that more issues relating to the costing of health infrastructure projects could emerge in the coming days.
“Very soon we will go into the pricing of a health project which was facilitated by the same Health Ministry and recently commissioned by the President. Watch this space,” he added.
The allegations by the former Deputy Health Minister have not been independently verified, and neither the Ministry of Health nor EOCO has responded to the claims.
As of the time of publication, the reasons behind EOCO’s action remain officially unknown, while the fate of the long-delayed Weija Children’s Hospital continues to be uncertain.
By 1960news.com
