Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital project stalled by $1.6m legal dispute

The construction of a dedicated Sickle Cell and Blood Bank facility at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has been suspended since 2022 due to a $1.6 million legal dispute. Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, the Chief Executive Officer of KATH, disclosed this development during a sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday. The project, which is sponsored by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), has reached a standstill as the corporation and the contractor remain locked in a legal battle over outstanding payments.

According to Dr. Baidoo, the project involved a partnership between GNPC and the Ghana Sickle Cell Foundation to provide specialized care and storage facilities. However, work ceased three years ago when the contractor initiated legal proceedings against GNPC. Although KATH is the intended beneficiary of the infrastructure, the hospital management clarified that they are not party to the legal suit, which has left them in a difficult position as they await a resolution between the two primary stakeholders to resume the work.

The Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, Abena Osei-Asare, expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital's handling of the situation during the session. She criticized the management for a lack of formal correspondence documenting their efforts to resolve the impasse and warned that the prolonged delay would likely lead to a significant increase in the final cost of the project due to inflationary pressures. Osei-Asare urged KATH to take a more proactive role in facilitating a settlement to prevent the further deterioration of the partially completed structure.

Currently, KATH is attempting to encourage the GNPC and the contractor to resolve the dispute or expedite the legal process. The completion of the Sickle Cell and Blood Bank project is considered vital for improving healthcare delivery in the Ashanti Region, as the hospital continues to face pressure on its existing blood storage and specialized treatment units. The committee has signaled that it will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that public funds already invested in the project are not wasted.