The Ranking Member of the Health Committee for Parliament and the Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore, Honourable Nana Ayew Afriye has dismissed claims that the Afari Military Hospital project saw little progress under the previous New Patriotic Party administration, insisting that substantial work had been completed before the transition of power.
Honourable Afriye stated that recent remarks by Kennedy Agyapong suggesting that the government did little on the project did not align with facts available in official records. He argued that documentation from Parliament and payment records clearly showed progress on the facility over the years.
Discussing a 2023 inspection of the project site, the Health Ranking Member recounted that he led the Health Committee together with officials from the Ministries of Health and Interior as well as contractors working on the hospital. He explained that the visit gave the committee a clear picture of the remaining work and the financial requirements needed for completion.
Honourable Afriye revealed that the contractor informed the committee that Phase One was ready for handover while Phase Two required additional funding to be completed. He said the contractor initially requested 6 million dollars to finish outstanding works on the project.
“When we visited the site, work was actively ongoing, and the contractor made it clear that Phase One was ready for handover. The only issue was securing additional funds to complete the remaining phase of the project.”
Honourable Nana Ayew Afriye
Additionally, he disclosed that negotiations between government and the contractor later reduced the requested amount from 6 million dollars to 3 million dollars. Honourable Afriye added that 2.5 million dollars was eventually paid after months of engagement over the valuation.
The Ranking Member noted that between 2018 and 2023, the Ministry of Defence paid 19.3 million dollars to the contractor. He added that the original contract sum of 180 million dollars had already been fully paid before 2018.
In light of these records, Honourable Afriye argued that claims of complete neglect were inaccurate and unfair to officials who supervised the project. He urged the media to examine parliamentary records and verify the facts independently.
Moreover, he recalled that after the Minority raised the Afari issue in Parliament, the Health Committee sought approval from the Speaker to inspect the facility and later submitted its findings to the House. The Health Ranking Member noted that the committee’s work received support across party lines.
Honourable Afriye also rejected suggestions that the Defence Ministry obstructed parliamentary oversight. He stressed that no arm of the Executive could prevent Parliament from carrying out its constitutional duty of supervision.
Contractor Faces Scrutiny Over Delays And Rising Costs
Honourable Afriye insisted that the Afari Military Hospital was over 90 percent complete when the previous administration exited office. He added that only limited external works and final installations remained.
Addressing the final stage of construction, he explained that sewage works, internal roads and staff housing were among the unfinished components. He added that essential medical equipment, including a CT scan machine, had already been procured and stored in Tema awaiting installation.
According to Honourable Afriye, the contractor formally wrote to government requesting 6 million dollars to complete the remaining works and hand over the facility. He said that request alone showed the hospital was close to becoming operational.
“Apart from the sewage system, internal roads and housing, almost everything else was ready. The project had gone beyond 90 per cent completion and was close to being handed over.”
Honourable Nana Ayew Afriye
Furthermore, Honourable Afriye referenced remarks by the late Albert Kan-Dapaah, who reportedly visited the site after the change in government and projected that operations could begin within months. He said those comments reinforced the advanced state of the project.
Honourable Afriye intimated that Kennedy Agyapong and the contractor are friends, adding that their relationship could explain his position on the ongoing dispute surrounding the Afari hospital project.
Nonetheless, his strongest criticism was directed at the contractor handling the project. Honourable Afriye alleged that the contractor has consistently relied on contractual disputes to demand additional payments from the state.
He disclosed that government paid more than 21 million dollars above parts of the agreed project cost during the previous administration. Honourable Afriye further alleged that the contractor is now seeking an additional 85 million dollars in escalated claims.
“I will present all the evidence next week because the people of Ghana deserve the truth. Contractors who exploit public projects and fleece the state must be exposed and held accountable.”
Honourable Nana Ayew Afriye
Eventually, Honourable Afriye stressed that parliamentary oversight exists to safeguard national resources and ensure that public projects deliver value to citizens. He also emphasised that the Afari Hospital issue should not be reduced to partisan considerations, adding that his priority remains the completion and operationalisation of the facility for the benefit of Ghanaians.
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