Former Deputy Minister for Defence and Member of Parliament, Hon. Kofi Amankwaa-Manu, has called for a rigorous investigation into alleged financial discrepancies surrounding the long-delayed 500-bed Afari Military Hospital project in the Ashanti Region.
The demand follows recent claims suggesting that an outstanding debt of $85 million owed to the contractor is the primary reason behind the stalled completion and non-operationalization of the health facility. Hon. Amankwaa-Manu, addressing a press briefing alongside members of the Minority in Parliament, strongly rejected the government’s explanation, characterizing the $85 million figure as completely unjustifiable and unsupported by official parliamentary and financial records.
“The $85 million claim is not just mathematically absurd, it is indeed criminal,” the former Deputy Minister stated, asserting that independent reviews of the project’s financial history indicate that only approximately $500,000 in legitimate arrears is actually required to finalize outstanding works. He warned that any attempts to push through an additional $85 million payment under the guise of clearance debts could amount to a “create, loot, and share” scheme aimed at misusing public funds.
The Afari Military Hospital project, which began under initial contracts dating back years, has faced chronic delays, repeated cost revisions, and site relocations across multiple administrations. Hon. Amankwaa-Manu emphasized that the continued non-operational status of the hospital is severely hampering healthcare delivery and putting undue pressure on existing medical facilities within the region. He urged state anti-graft agencies and accountability bodies to step in immediately to audit the project’s true financial standing, protect the public purse, and ensure the strategic facility is opened to the public without further inflated adjustments.
To follow the legislative debate and view the full media briefing where parliamentary representatives dissected the financial claims, watch this report on the Afari Military Hospital Funding Controversy. This coverage details the formal objections raised regarding the project’s budget allocation.
