Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Member of Parliament for the Weija-Gbawe constituency and Second Deputy Whip, has criticised the government’s failure to operationalize a furnished children’s specialist hospital, asserting that the delay demonstrates a lack of priority for public health.
The MP’s comments followed a demonstration on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, where local residents took to the streets to demand the immediate commissioning of the facility.
Despite being fully completed and furnished for two years, the hospital remains closed to the public.
Mr. Shaib questioned why authorities have refused to open the doors of a facility that could provide essential emergency care to families who are currently forced to travel long distances for medical attention.
He warned that the children of the municipality are ultimately paying the price for this administrative inaction. Expressing his frustration, he insisted that the situation reflects a disregard for the well-being of the citizenry.
He questioned the logic of investing significant funds into a health facility only to let it sit idle while the public fails to benefit from the expenditure.
According to the MP, residents have complained bitterly about the closure and are mounting pressure on his office to see the facility commissioned.
Beyond healthcare, he noted that the hospital would serve as a vital source of local employment.
During his address, Jerry Ahmed Shaib questioned the motives behind the delay, asking, “It’s been 17 months that this government took over and yet, they have refused to commission the facility. Is it political? Is it out of jealousy? What is the problem?”
He emphasized that the 120-bed facility is equipped with critical infrastructure, including three operating theaters, a mother’s hostel, laboratories, and a CT scanner.
He further clarified that the contractual obligations for the project exist between the contractor, the Ministry of Health, and the Republic of Ghana, rather than with external entities like the World Bank.
Advising against the politicization of healthcare, the MP stressed that the delivery of medical services must take precedence over partisan interests.
He called on the government to abandon what he described as “flimsy excuses” and open the hospital immediately, noting that “people are dying just like this.” Moving forward, Jerry Ahmed Shaib stated his intention to once again engage the Minister of Health to resolve the matter.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
