Ghana Government Secures New Funding for La General Hospital Project

Accra: The Minister for Health, Mr. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, has announced that the Ghanaian government has successfully identified new funding for the La General Hospital Project, which had been stalled. The announcement came in response to concerns raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) about the delayed work on the project.

According to Ghana News Agency, the government has concluded negotiations and is advancing discussions with contractors for the re-mobilization of the La General Hospital site. The hospital, located in Accra, was demolished in July 2020 after reports of severe structural problems. Despite President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s sod-cutting ceremony on August 10, 2020, to commence the Hospital Redevelopment Project, construction work had yet to start.

“And so very soon the project will come back to life. I can give more details about this sometime next week when we have concluded everything,” said the Health Minister during his address in Parliament. Additionally, the First Deputy Speaker, Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu, directed the Health Minister to brief the House on the current status of the La General Hospital.

In a related discussion, Majority Leader Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu shed light on the reasons behind the delay in reconstruction. He revealed that the project’s sponsors withheld funds following Ghana’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “…Mr. Speaker, until the nation is given a clean bill of health by the IMF, it is going to be difficult for the funding to be released,” he explained. Consequently, the government now plans to incorporate the hospital project into the agenda 111 initiative, which might result in a scaled-down version of the original plan.

Several MPs have urged the government to prioritize the commencement of work on the La General Hospital in the upcoming budget presentation by allocating specific funds towards the project. This move is seen as crucial for the healthcare infrastructure in the region.