The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has confirmed the arrest of the contractor responsible for the procurement of medical equipment for the 120-bed Weija Children’s Hospital.
According to him, the contractor was picked up by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on Friday, July 10, 2026, to assist with investigations into alleged procurement irregularities surrounding the World Bank-funded project.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said the investigation follows concerns raised by the World Bank over what it described as “misprocurement” in the acquisition of equipment for the hospital.
“My information is that he was picked up sometime today in relation to matters to do with procurement,” he said.
According to the Minister, state authorities suspect there may have been wrongdoing in the procurement of medical equipment for the facility.
“State authorities believe that there was some wrongdoing in the procurement of some medical equipment for the 120-bed Weija Children’s Hospital, which was being financed by the World Bank,” he stated.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu explained that the World Bank identified significant discrepancies in the pricing of some of the medical equipment supplied under the project.
“Indeed, the World Bank itself has raised the issue. They labelled it as misprocurement. They say that specific items intended for use in that hospital were bought at prices that were highly inflated and far above their market value,” he said.
He noted that the findings have raised suspicions of possible corruption and other procurement-related offences, making it necessary for state investigative bodies to intervene.
“They therefore believe that some corruption or related offences may have occurred. It is the duty of state officials to investigate because these are public funds,” he added.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said the contractor’s arrest marks the beginning of the investigative process, with authorities seeking explanations regarding the procurement of the equipment before determining the next course of action.
“State officials have commenced investigations by initially arresting the contractor, who is the person responsible for the procurement, for questioning so that they may determine what explanations there may be and how to proceed with the investigations. So that is the reason why the contractor is being held,” he said.
The Weija Children’s Hospital, a 120-bed specialist paediatric facility, has remained non-operational despite the completion of its main infrastructure, with procurement disputes and unresolved contractual issues contributing to delays in its opening.
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