The contractor responsible for building the Weija Children’s Specialist Hospital has formally handed over the facility to the government. Sources confirmed to Channel One News that officials from the Ministry of Health received the hospital on Friday, August 7, before transferring it to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
It remains uncertain when the hospital will commence operations or whether a management team has been appointed by the GHS to oversee its administration. The handover follows months of public pressure, including a demonstration in May 2026 by residents and parents in Weija, who demanded the opening of the hospital after reports that construction had been completed more than a year earlier.
In the aftermath of the protest, the contractor of the 120‑bed facility was reportedly detained by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) following a meeting with Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Weija‑Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has renewed calls for the hospital to be opened without further delay, stressing that political considerations should not hinder access to healthcare. Speaking to Citi News at a separate event on Friday, Mr. Shaib noted that the hospital remains closed despite assurances from the Health Minister that it had already been operationalised.
“I don’t think we should still be playing politics with this facility. It should be operationalised for people to use it. I had a word from the Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, that it has been operationalised, so I should pass by and see, but when I did, it was still closed,” he said.
Once operational, the 120-bed hospital is expected to provide advanced specialist paediatric care and ease pressure on the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, which has long grappled with ageing infrastructure and capacity constraints. The facility is expected to significantly improve access to specialised paediatric healthcare for residents of Weija-Gbawe and neighbouring communities.
Source: Akwasi Addo
