KATH sickle cell, blood bank project stalled over $1.6m legal dispute – CEO
Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr (Med) Paa Kwesi Baidoo, has disclosed that the hospital’s Sickle Cell and Blood Bank project has stalled over a $1.6 million legal dispute between the contractor and the GMPC.
The Chief Executive Officer of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, revealed that the hospital's Sickle Cell and Blood Bank project has been halted due to a legal dispute worth $1.6 million between the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and the contractor. This disclosure came during a meeting with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on October 8, where Dr Baidoo provided an update on the project, which had been highlighted in the hospital's previous audit report.
The project was funded by GNPC, with the Ghana Sickle Cell Foundation playing a key role in discussions for its implementation. KATH had subsequently written to the foundation to request the project be transferred to the hospital if GNPC was unwilling to continue funding it. Dr Baidoo also met with the CEO of GNPC to urge action to expedite the process, given the project's significance to the hospital.
However, these efforts have been hindered by a legal issue between GNPC and the contractor, which remains unresolved in the courts. According to Dr Baidoo, the contractor initiated legal action against GNPC after the project's stagnation since 2022, demanding $1.6 million. GNPC has stated that up to $2 million would be needed to finish the project, and they would prefer to fund the contractor instead of paying a judgment debt.
KATH is currently exploring ways to help resolve the dispute and resume work on the project. PAC Chairperson Abena Osei-Asare expressed skepticism about KATH's efforts to resolve the matter, given the project's 72% completion. She requested concrete evidence of correspondence between KATH, GNPC, and the contractor to support their claims.
Osei-Asare also criticized the hospital's response, insisting on formal documentation rather than verbal explanations. The PAC further criticized KATH's 2024 report for not addressing the project issues adequately. Despite this, Osei-Asare assured the hospital that the committee would collaborate with management to resolve the outstanding matters.
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