Corruption Scandal Rocks Ghana's Health Sector: Weija Children’s Hospital Contractor Busted!

The contractor overseeing the Weija Children’s Hospital project has reportedly been apprehended by officials from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). This significant development unfolded shortly after a critical meeting with the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, which focused on the prolonged delays in bringing the 120-bed specialist paediatric hospital into operation.

According to sources, the meeting held on Friday, July 10, aimed to discuss the completion and official handover of the facility, which, despite being structurally completed for over two years, has remained unoperational. During the discussions, the government earnestly urged the contractor to transfer control of the hospital to enable the Ministry of Health to commence operations, emphasizing the urgent and growing demand for specialized paediatric healthcare services across the nation.

However, the contractor reportedly declined the government's request for immediate handover. The contractor insisted that the hospital would not be handed over until the full outstanding balance on the contract had been paid, or until firm assurances were provided regarding the timeline for the remaining payment. It was maintained that the unresolved financial obligations were a prerequisite for the project's official transfer.

Shortly after this contentious meeting, EOCO officials reportedly took the contractor into custody, transporting him to the agency’s headquarters. Neither EOCO nor the Ministry of Health initially provided official comments on the specific circumstances surrounding the arrest.

Further details emerged from Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, who disclosed that the contractor’s arrest was connected to an intensified investigation into alleged procurement irregularities. Mr. Ofosu, speaking on July 10, confirmed that the contractor was apprehended to assist with inquiries into the procurement process for medical equipment supplied to the World Bank-funded hospital project.

The Minister explained that these investigations were initiated due to serious concerns raised by the World Bank itself, which had identified what it termed