Kwaku Agyeman Manu
The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu says the La General Hospital project has been delayed due to a number of issues, including “the varying waves of COVID-19 in various jurisdictions in Europe and China.”
He explained that following the approval of the financial agreement and the commercial contract by Cabinet and Parliament, the guarantor, Sinosure, was required to cover the project to close the transaction.
However, “Sinosure delayed in the issuance of the insurance cover, which has accounted for the contractor’s low progress of work,” the Minister told Parliament, while answering questions on the floor of the House yesterday.
The NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Dadekotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowa, asked the Minister of Health when the actual construction work on the La General Hospital would commence.
Mr. Agyeman Manu, responded that some aspects of the project such as demolishing, fencing, topographical surveying, design and other preliminary activities had commenced already, but the delay in the issuance of the insurance cover had slowed the pace of work.
He, however, stated that the Ministry of Finance had made the necessary engagements and consultations and “it is expected that the insurance cover will be issued soon for the contractor to improve the pace of work.”
“Due to the condition of the land, it was critical to do an intrusive geological exploration to help determine the depth of the foundation and the sizes of the structural members for the facility. This was critical to avoid any structural problems which affected the old building and led to its demolition,” he explained.
The comforting news, the Minister pointed out, was that once the physical construction starts with all the right drawings and studies that are currently ongoing, “there will be no breaks until completion.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House