Open Weija Gbawe Children’s Hospital Now, Minority Dismisses Procurement Claims

Hon. Nana Ayew Afriye, Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, has rejected claims that procurement irregularities are delaying the opening of the Weija Gbawe Specialist Children’s Hospital, insisting the facility is ready for use.

Speaking to journalists in Parliament, Hon. Afriye said the hospital was initiated under the NPP government and financed through IDA, a World Bank facility. Originally designed as a 40-bed hospital, the project was later expanded to 120 beds with the knowledge and approval of all stakeholders, including the World Bank.

He explained that the current holdup relates to equipment procurement, specifically a CT scan. Following a post-procurement review, the World Bank flagged concerns about the cost of a 128-slice CT scan, suggesting it was overpriced.

Hon. Afriye maintained that all procurement processes went through Ghana’s official channels and were approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and the Ministry of Health. “If you attack procurement which has gone to PPA approved, then you are more or less attacking the PPA or the procurement authority of this country. It’s got nothing to do with a contractor,” he said.

According to him, the World Bank was asked to provide its own quotation for a CT scan of the same brand and quality if it believed the price was inflated, but no alternative invoice was submitted. He noted that the total equipment cost stands at $3.8 million, including the CT scan, and said claims of overpricing must be backed by evidence.

The Ranking Member added that the contractor has completed the works and even installed additional items like generators that were not in the original scope. He argued that the World Bank itself has called for the hospital to be opened, and that “nobody is discussing misprocurement anymore.”

“What the Ghanaian knows is that they want to use it,” Hon. Afriye stressed. “It’s totally needless to hold back a completed hospital over flimsy procurement arguments. The Minister of Health should have done due diligence instead of raising this issue publicly now.”

He called for politics to be set aside, saying the Weija Gbawe Specialist Children’s Hospital should be opened immediately to serve as a referral center for children.

Hon. Afriye noted that the contractor has finished the works and even provided additional items like power generators not captured in the original scope. He added that the World Bank itself has since called for the hospital to be opened, and that “nobody is discussing misprocurement anymore.”

“What the Ghanaian knows is that they want to use it,” he said. “It’s totally needless to hold back a completed hospital over flimsy procurement arguments.”

He urged the Minister of Health to act, saying due diligence should have been done earlier rather than raising issues publicly now.

Hon. Afriye appealed for politics to be set aside so the Weija Gbawe Specialist Children’s Hospital can begin operating as a referral center for children.