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The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on Tuesday, July 8, revealed that the government has uncovered an overpayment on the contract for the Sewua Government Hospital project. An audit has been initiated before any further action is taken.

The government inherited the project in a state of disrepair, with no access road, water, or electricity. “We inherited Sewua. We had no water, no access road, and no electricity connected to the place,” Akandoh said. The minister stressed that any payment exceeding the contract sum approved by Parliament required parliamentary approval, revealing that the government had identified payments made beyond the approved contract value.

The dispute between the contractor and the government has made it difficult even to jointly assess the project’s progress. “As I speak to you now, for us to even go back with the contractor to assess the progress so far has also become a problem,” Akandoh said.

The Chairman of the Assurances Committee, Dominic Aduna Bingab Nitiwul, acknowledged the challenges surrounding the project and urged the government to complete the audit before taking any further decisions. Mr. Nitiwul said he had anticipated the difficulties because of his previous dealings with the contractor.

He cautioned against politicising major public infrastructure projects, warning that doing so could significantly delay their completion. “What I would advise Ghanaians is that if we have to complete those projects, we have to stop politicising them.” “Otherwise, these projects will never be completed in the next 10 years. When a contractor believes that these projects have become political, he will squeeze you and collect money that is not supposed to be given to him. Take it from me.”

The history of the hospital project spans over two decades. It first received parliamentary approval in November 2008 during the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor but did not commence until 2014 under the late President John Evans Atta Mills’ administration, with implementation continuing under President John Dramani Mahama.

Kwabena Mintah Akandoh is the current Health Minister of Ghana. He took office in 2017 and has been at the forefront of the government's efforts to reform the healthcare sector. The Sewua Government Hospital project has been a contentious issue, with the government facing criticism for its slow pace in completing the project.

The hospital project was initially approved in 2008 at a cost of GH¢20 million. However, the project's cost has more than tripled due to various challenges, including delays and overpayments. The current cost of the project is estimated to be over GH¢70 million.

The Ministry of Health has expressed its commitment to deploying health personnel immediately once the project is officially handed over. The health minister assured that within two days of the project being handed over, they can have the full complement of health professionals to operationalise it.

The unresolved contractual issues remain the biggest obstacle to opening the facility. The dispute between the contractor and the government has been ongoing for several years, with no resolution in sight.

The Chairman of the Assurances Committee has urged the Ministry of Health to ensure that the audit is conducted thoroughly before any additional payments are considered. Nitiwul cautioned against politicising major public infrastructure projects, warning that doing so could significantly delay their completion.