By Amoako Kwame
Awerco Construction Limited, the contractor handling the Weija-Gbawe Children’s Hospital project, has threatened legal action against the Ministry of Health, demanding an immediate withdrawal of a press statement it claims wrongly accused the company of causing delays in making the facility operational.
The dispute stems from a Ministry of Health press release issued on May 5, 2026, titled “Operationalisation of the Weija Paediatric Hospital,” which allegedly raised concerns about procurement irregularities, including allegations that some medical equipment had been overpriced by up to 11 times its actual value.
Awerco Construction Limited dismissed the allegations as baseless, stating that no supporting evidence had been presented.
The company’s lawyers further argued that their client has been unfairly portrayed as the cause of the Ministry’s failure to commission and operationalise the Weija-Gbawe Children’s Hospital.
According to the letter, Awerco Construction Limited said it had, over the past year, repeatedly written to the Ministry of Health seeking payment of outstanding claims but had yet to receive any response.
The company also rejected suggestions that it had obstructed the commissioning of the hospital.
It clarified that, contrary to the impression created by the Ministry’s press release, it never indicated in any correspondence that it had halted the commissioning process.
Awerco further explained that its communications only raised concerns about proper contractual handover procedures and highlighted the need for essential protective systems such as UPS units and Automatic Voltage Regulators to protect sensitive medical equipment.
The contractor maintained that without these systems in place, there is a risk of damage to equipment, which could in turn disrupt the hospital’s operations.
Awerco Construction Limited further questioned why the Ministry would move to operationalise the hospital if it genuinely believed procurement costs had been grossly inflated.
The company has therefore called for the withdrawal of parts of the Ministry’s press statement within 24 hours, warning that it has instructed its lawyers to take all necessary legal steps if the directive is not met.
