Completed but locked: CDM slams gov’t over Weija Children’s Hospital

The Centre for Democratic Movement (CDM) has described the continued closure of the Weija Paediatric Hospital as a painful symbol of governance failure.

It accused government of allowing administrative delays and procurement disputes to undermine critical healthcare delivery.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Monday, Convenor of the group, Samuel Doku, said nothing reflects the contradictions within Ghana’s governance system more sharply than a reportedly completed and equipped children’s hospital remaining inaccessible to the public.

“This is unacceptable,” the group declared.

According to CDM, the continued closure of the specialist hospital comes at a time when many families are struggling to access paediatric healthcare services.

The group argued that the situation represents “not merely an administrative lapse, but a moral and governance failure with direct human consequences.”

CDM expressed concern over explanations emerging from official circles, including allegations of procurement irregularities, contractor-government disputes and claims of inflated equipment pricing.

“The allegations of procurement inflation, including reports suggesting certain equipment may have been overpriced multiple times above market value, are deeply disturbing and demand urgent, transparent, and independent scrutiny,” the group stated.

“The people of Ghana deserve answers. Development partners deserve accountability. Taxpayers deserve transparency. And above all, our children deserve access to healthcare.”

The group criticised the slow pace of government action despite repeated assurances that discussions were ongoing to resolve the dispute.

“A completed hospital that remains closed is not infrastructure development; it is administrative paralysis,” CDM stressed.

The organisation further warned that government’s inability to resolve procurement and contractual disputes within reasonable timeframes exposes major weaknesses in project governance and institutional responsiveness.

Beyond the Weija hospital, CDM also raised concerns over several stalled or non-operational health facilities across the country, including projects under the Agenda 111 programme.

According to the group, many of the projects intended to strengthen district healthcare systems are now delayed, under-resourced, or lacking clear timelines for completion.

“This raises serious questions about project continuity, financing, contractor management, and post-construction planning in the health sector,” the statement noted.

CDM called for a full national audit of all Agenda 111 and related health projects, publication of status reports on completion levels and funding, and clear timelines for stalled facilities.

The group also demanded the immediate publication of procurement audit findings linked to the Weija Paediatric Hospital project.

It further called for an “expedited, transparent, and independent dispute-resolution mechanism” involving the government and the contractor, particularly because the government has publicly denied the contractor’s allegations of procurement irregularities.

“Only an independent forensic audit can establish the truth,” CDM insisted.

The organisation warned that the continued existence of completed but non-functional hospitals undermines public trust and defeats the purpose of national investment in healthcare infrastructure.

“The welfare of Ghanaian children must never become collateral damage in bureaucratic inefficiency,” the group stated.

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)