Awerco Construction Limited, the firm responsible for the Weija-Gbawe Children’s Hospital project, has threatened legal action against the Ministry of Health, demanding the immediate retraction of a press statement it says contains false and damaging claims about its role in delays affecting the facility’s operationalisation.
In a letter dated May 8, 2026, lawyers for Awerco Construction Limited accused the Ministry of Health of publishing “inaccuracies and misrepresentations” that they argue could harm the company’s reputation and business interests.
The dispute follows a press release issued on May 5, 2026, by the Ministry of Health titled “Operationalisation of the Weija Paediatric Hospital.” The statement reportedly referenced procurement irregularities, including allegations that medical equipment prices were inflated by as much as 11 times their actual value.
Awerco Construction Limited has strongly rejected those claims, describing them as “unfounded” and insisting that no evidence had been provided to substantiate the allegations.
“Our Client has been wrongly portrayed as being responsible for the Ministry’s inability to commission and operationalise the Weija Paediatric Hospital,” the lawyers stated.
The company further argued that concerns allegedly raised by the World Bank were never formally communicated to it, and maintained that it has fulfilled all contractual obligations under the project.
According to the letter, the contractor had repeatedly written to the ministry over the past year seeking payment of outstanding obligations but had not received a response.
Awerco also disputed suggestions that it halted the commissioning process of the hospital.
“Contrary to the impression created by your press release, our Client never stated in its letter that it had halted the process of commissioning of the facility,” the letter said.
Instead, the company explained that it had raised concerns about proper handover procedures and stressed the need for essential protective systems such as UPS units and Automatic Voltage Regulators to safeguard sensitive medical equipment.
It warned that without such systems, the hospital’s equipment could be damaged, potentially affecting operations.
The contractor also alleged that delays in settling outstanding payments had disrupted mandatory end-user training required before official handover of the facility.
“Failure to undertake such training poses an additional risk to the project and to potential patients, as critical medical equipment may not be operated properly,” the letter added.
Awerco further questioned why the ministry would move to operationalise the hospital if it believed procurement costs had been grossly inflated.
The company is therefore demanding that portions of the Ministry of Health’s press statement be retracted within 24 hours, warning that it has instructed its lawyers to pursue all available legal remedies should the ministry fail to comply.
