Weija Children’s Hospital contractor picked up by EOCO

The contractor responsible for the construction of the Weija Children’s Hospital has reportedly been taken into custody by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following a meeting with the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, over delays in handing over the facility.

Sources familiar with the matter tells Class News  that the contractor met the Health Minister on Friday, July 10, to discuss the completion and formal transfer of the 120-bed specialist hospital, which has remained idle despite the completion of its main structure.

During the meeting, government is said to have appealed to the contractor to hand over the facility to allow the Ministry of Health to commence operations, citing the growing demand for specialised paediatric healthcare services.

However, the contractor reportedly insisted that the hospital would not be handed over until all outstanding payments under the contract had been settled or government provided a clear commitment on when the balance would be paid.

According to sources, the contractor maintained that the unresolved financial obligations had to be addressed before the project could be officially transferred to the Ministry.

Moments after the meeting, officials from EOCO reportedly took the contractor into custody and transported him to the agency’s headquarters.

Neither the Ministry of Health nor EOCO has issued an official statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

The Weija Children’s Hospital has remained closed for more than two years despite the completion of the main facility.

The delay has largely been linked to unresolved contractual and administrative issues, including disputes over outstanding payments and the completion of remaining works, prompting repeated calls from residents and health advocates for the hospital to be opened to the public.

Source: Classfmonline.com