The government has identified alternative source of funds to finance the reconstruction of the La General Hospital, Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has revealed.
Mr Agyeman-Manu told members of parliament in Accra yesterday in a statement that the initial source of funds to finance became untenable after one of the major creditors went under liquidation.
He said as a result of the frustration in securing the funds to continue with the reconstruction of the hospital, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo directed the ministers of trade and industry, health and finance to find alternative sources of funds to finance the project.
“Through the three-member committee, the Minister of Finance has identified funds locally to continue the project with the same civil works scope but at a reduced price of €50 million.
“Once the funds hit account, the contractors mobilise to site in a week,” Mr Agyeman-Manu assured.
“All parties have shown a very clear willingness and commitment to work and we trust that this project will be carried out in earnest and completed within the 24-month duration as originally scheduled (once the funding is secured)”, he stressed.
According to him, apart from the La General Hospital, “we have never seen this level of hiccups in managing any project in the health sector since I became Minister of Health but despite the challenges, government is not resting on its oars”.
But MP for the area, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, said the government had not been candid with the people of La having promised to complete the project in 24 months from the day of its demolition in March 2020.
She was worried the cost of the project scaled down from the €68 million could mean a reduction in the scope of work.
The narratives surrounding the project, the first-term MP said has been one too many and the government must sit up to deliver on its mandate to the people of the area.
“Mr Speaker, the stories concerning the hospital have been too many. As we speak now, what matters to us is for the minister to tell us when work is going to start and what type of project that is going to be. We the good people of La Dadekotopon need a health facility,” she stated.
However, the Member for Anyaa-Sowutuom, Dr Adomako Kissi, commended the minister for taking the decision to pull down the building which has become a death trap to not only health professionals at the facility but patients as well.
“What needs to be taken from today’s discussion is that truly it was the right decision to pull down the facility and I am happy it is a front burner issue for the government.”
Regrettable as the delay may have been, Dr Kissi said it was refreshing that a new financing modality was being arranged to reconstruct the facility to serve the people of the area
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI