The Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, has attributed the prolonged delay in the completion of the Afari Military Hospital Project in the Ashanti Region to years of mismanagement, administrative bottlenecks, and neglect.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Brogya Genfi recounted that former President John Dramani Mahama cut the sod for the construction of the 500-bed facility in March 2014, with the $180 million project expected to be completed within 42 months. However, twelve years later, the hospital remains unfinished.
According to the Deputy Minister, civil and architectural works had reached 90 percent completion by January 2017, but progress subsequently stalled, leaving the project in limbo. He revealed that when the current administration assumed office, the contractor had abandoned the site and construction activities had ceased.
Mr. Brogya Genfi disclosed that the contractor is demanding outstanding payments of $85 million before returning to site, including $7 million under Claim 1 and $78 million under Claim 2, despite assertions by the previous administration that all contractual obligations had been settled.
He further revealed that medical equipment procured for the project was left at the port, attracting substantial demurrage charges, while some of the items were later auctioned.
Providing an update on the project’s status, the Deputy Minister said the hospital is currently about 60 percent complete overall. While civil and architectural works stand at 97 percent, biomedical and mechanical installations remain at just 5 percent. He added that some medical equipment warranties have expired, while others have become obsolete or were stolen from the site.
Mr. Brogya Genfi noted that government has re-engaged the contractor, reviewed the contract, and commenced an assessment of available medical equipment in the country as part of efforts to fast-track completion of the facility.
He also disclosed that the Ghana Armed Forces has taken over security at the project site following reported theft incidents and urged the public to obtain the necessary authorization before accessing the area.
The Deputy Minister maintained that government remains committed to completing the long-delayed project but argued that it should not be distracted by criticism from those who, in his view, failed to complete the hospital despite having ample time to do so.
By: Bernard Mensah|Planbfmonline.com
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