La Hospital: We’ve identified an alternative source of funding to recommence – Health minister

The government, acting via the Ministry of Finance, has reportedly obtained €50 million in local funds for the restoration of the La General Hospital, according to Minister of Health Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.

With the additional funding, the hospital—which was destroyed in 2020 because of structural flaws—will be rebuilt.

Agyeman-Manu reportedly told lawmakers that the Ministry of Finance had found a nearby alternative financing source for the project, according to a citinewroom.com article.

“At the 37th session of the cabinet, the president directed the Ministers of Trade and Industry, Health and Finance to find alternative sources of funding to recommence the project. Through the efforts of the three-man committee, the Minister of Finance has now identified funds locally to continue the project with the same simple work scope but a reviewed price of 50 million Euro,” he said.

The minister of health gave assurances that the required procedures would be followed in order to enable payment to the contractor and that work would start right away.

The Minority in Parliament, however, voiced their displeasure and blasted the minister for failing to provide precise dates for the project’s restart.

Citing a history of broken promises, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Health Committee, called the health minister’s remark misleading.

Kwaku Agyeman-Manu responded by defending the government’s objectives and emphasizing that the demolition was done with the best of intentions.

He pledged that the administration would not mislead the people and expressed confidence in providing the hospital that the La community deserves.

“We don’t intend to deceive anybody, we don’t, we pulled down the building with good intentions… but I’m very sure that we will work to give La the hospital that La deserves,” the health minister added.