Awerco Construction Limited, the contractor for the Weija-Gbawe Children’s Hospital project, has demanded an immediate retraction and apology from the Ministry of Health over a press release it says wrongly blames the company for delays in opening the facility.
In a letter dated May 8 and addressed to the minister of health through spokesperson Tony Goodman, the company’s lawyers at A.E.K. Kodjoe & Associates said the ministry’s May 5 press release titled “Operationalisation of the Weija Paediatric Hospital” misrepresented the facts and damaged the contractor’s reputation.
The statement took issue with the Ministry’s claim that the World Bank had raised concerns in 2024 about misprocurement, including medical equipment allegedly priced up to 11 times the actual cost.
Awerco described the allegation as “unfounded and without any disclosed factual or evidential basis.” The company said the World Bank’s concerns were never communicated to it, adding that had they been, it would have provided explanations and supporting documents to substantiate the equipment costs.
The contractor said it fulfilled its contractual obligations and delivered written requests for payment over a year ago, but the ministry has not responded or offered a platform for discussion.
Awerco also accused the ministry of using press releases to deny the company payments due under its contract with the government of Ghana. It cited a similar incident in December 2025, where it responded privately to media claims in a letter dated December 15, 2025.
The letter further disputed the Ministry’s assertion that the contractor halted the commissioning process and insisted that all outstanding issues be resolved before granting access to the hospital. Awerco said this “is not only untrue but materially misrepresents the correspondence exchanged between our client and the ministry.”
The company clarified that it received a letter from the ministry on March 18, 2026, acknowledging completion of construction works and the ministry’s intention for immediate occupation and operationalisation. Awerco said it responded on March 27, 2026, outlining handover procedures and outstanding financial obligations.
It added that it had procured critical protective systems, including UPS units and automatic voltage regulators, outside the contract scope to safeguard sensitive medical equipment.
The company warned that failure to provide these systems would expose equipment to damage and compromise the hospital’s operational integrity but said it received no response from the ministry.
Awerco noted that the contract requires end-user training prior to handover, which cannot proceed without payment. It warned that failure to conduct this training could lead to improper operation of medical equipment and pose risks to patients.
Despite the payment issues, the company said it facilitated a visit from a team from the ministry and Ghana Health Service to the facility on March 27, 2026, and promised to communicate a handover date. It said the ministry has yet to receive the facility.
The contractor described the ministry’s press release as an attempt to “divert public attention from the ministry’s inaction and the real issues which have delayed the operationalisation of the completed hospital.”
Awerco is demanding a retraction of paragraphs 2 and 4 of the press release within 24 hours of receiving the letter, published in the same manner as the original. It warned it would pursue all available legal remedies if the ministry fails to comply.
The letter was signed by Yaw Acquah, Head of Dispute Resolution at A.E.K. Kodjoe & Associates.
The Weija Paediatric Hospital has been completed but remains unopened, with the Ministry of Health previously stating it was preparing to commission the facility for public use.
By: Boshyeba Kwabena Afriyie/Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
