The Minority in Parliament has urged the Ministry of Health to immediately operationalise the Weija Children’s Specialist Hospital, rejecting claims of procurement irregularities and cost inflation linked to the project.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament on Thursday, May 28, 2026, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, argued that opening the facility would serve a dual purpose: creating jobs for unemployed health professionals and addressing urgent paediatric healthcare needs in the region.
“It is the considered position of the Minority that the Weija Children’s Hospital must be opened now. There is no further reason for delays, especially when we have many unemployed youth, nurses and lab physicians waiting for opportunities,” he said.
His remarks follow recent protests by residents of Weija, who have been demanding the hospital’s activation to help tackle persistent child healthcare challenges in the municipality.
Dr Afriye clarified that the initial bottleneck was the hospital’s equipment, and that the World Bank was duly informed of the project’s expansion from a 40-bed to a 120-bed facility.
He dismissed government claims that the previous administration engaged in mismanagement or delays, insisting that the Public Procurement Authority approved all procurement processes.
“The government’s narrative of misprocurement is untrue. At every stage, the World Bank was aware that the project had to be enhanced from a 40‑bed to a 120‑bed facility,” he stated.
