The President said the government has secured alternative funding for the controversial project and it is set to be completed in the next 2 years.
Speaking at the 2024 State of the Nation address in Accra, the President said: “An alternative source of funding has been secured for the reconstruction of the La Hospital Project, as a fully functional modern hospital, with the necessary equipment for diagnosis and treatment.”
“The Contractor has been paid an advance mobilization of 15%, representing some US$7.5 million, and work has begun. The project commenced, effectively, in January this year, and will be completed in 28 months.”
In November 2023, the then Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu announced that the government had secured 50 million Euros funding to start the project.
In a briefing to Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Agyemang-Manu said that the Finance Ministry had identified a local alternative source of funding for the project.
“At the 37th session of the cabinet, the president directed the Ministers of Trade and Industry, Health and Finance to find alternative sources of funding to recommence the project. Through the efforts of the three-man committee, the Minister of Finance has now identified funds locally to continue the project with the same simple work scope but a reviewed price of 50 million Euro,” he said.
The Health minister noted that processes were underway to ensure payment of the contractor and that work would commence in earnest soon.
The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu had earlier said that the reconstruction of the hospital has stalled because of the lack of funds.