The Minority in Parliament has called on the Ministry of Health to urgently operationalise the Weija Children’s Specialist Hospital, insisting that the facility should be opened without further delay despite ongoing concerns over procurement processes and alleged cost irregularities.
The call was made by the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, who argued that bringing the hospital into full operation would not only improve access to healthcare for residents in Weija and surrounding communities but also create job opportunities for unemployed health workers.
According to him, accusations of misprocurement levelled against the project are unfounded, adding that the procurement processes went through the necessary regulatory approvals, including clearance from the Public Procurement Authority.
“It is the considerate position of the Minority that the Weija Children hospital must be opened now. It must be opened now. There is no further reason for delays in opening that hospital especially when we need employment for the many unemployment youth, the nurses and lab physicians in the system,” he told journalists in Parliament on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
Dr. Afriye further explained that one of the initial challenges with the project involved the procurement of medical equipment, noting that the World Bank had been informed about the expansion of the facility from its original 40-bed capacity to 120 beds.
He also dismissed claims that the project suffered from procurement breaches, insisting that due process was followed at every stage and that development partners were fully aware of the scope adjustments.
“There’s been this position by government that the last regime was involved in mis procurement and delays. This is not true.
At every stage of the process, the World Bank were aware that the project had to be enhanced from a 40-bedded to a 120-bedded facility,” he stated.
Meanwhile, residents of Weija have continued to appeal for the hospital’s immediate opening, citing persistent healthcare challenges in the municipality, particularly for children who require specialized medical attention.
The renewed political push adds to growing pressure on the Ministry of Health and the government to clarify timelines for the facility’s full commissioning and operational rollout.
