Parliamentary Committee on Health inspects work on Greater Accra Regional Hospital

Rehabilitation and upgrading works to transform the Ridge Hospital in Accra into a regional facility is progressing steadily.

The project that commenced on March 31, 2014, is expected to be completed in March 2017.

The phase one of the project is estimated at $250 million and involves the construction of a new 420-bed building, among other facilities.

The phase two, which is yet to be approved and will cost $80 million, involves the construction of an additional 200-bed facility.

The project is being funded by the Exim Bank of the United States of America and the HSBC Bank of the United Kingdom.

It is being executed by Bouygues Construction Ghana Limited.

Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health have visited the project site to inspect work on the project. 

Facilities

The Project Manager of Bouygues Construction, Mr Longuet Benoit, who briefed the 18-member committee, said 20 per cent of the first phase of the project had been completed.

Other Trending Stories

Power outages due to gas supply issues, GRIDCo and ECG apologise

AG Dame urges reform of International arbitration laws; calls for global law practice

Freight forwarders accuse shipping lines of arbitrary charges

Ghana Police reopen roads in Accra after Democracy Hub Protest standoff

Police arrest Oliver Barker-Vormawor

The first phase involves the construction of a five-storey building to accommodate, among others, the accident, emergency and admission wards.

Other facilities include a three-storey logistics structure containing the pharmacy department, kitchen and conference rooms.

Challenge

The Project Manager of the Ministry of Health, Mr Richard Danquah-Boateng, said per the agreement signed between the construction firm and the government, the project was a tax-free one that allowed the contractors to import materials with tax exempt.

However, Mr Danquah-Boateng said since the company had not secured approval from the appropriate agencies, it had been using permits to clear imported goods meant for the project and appealed to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health to help address the challenge.

For his part, the Chairman of the committee, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the project. “We believe that if the pace of work continues like this without any hitches, the project can be delivered on time.”