NPP Minority Demands Immediate Opening of Weija Children's Specialist Hospital
The New Patriotic Party Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the Ministry of Health to open the Weija Children’s Specialist Hospital without further delay, arguing that the facility is ready to serve the public and that continued closure is unjustifiable.
Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, Ranking Member on the Health Committee of Parliament, made the case at a press briefing in Parliament House on Thursday. He said operationalising the hospital would address growing healthcare demands in the Weija catchment area while creating employment for the many nurses, laboratory technicians and other health professionals currently without jobs.
The call comes amid a broader political dispute over the hospital’s readiness. The current government has attributed delays to alleged misprocurement and overpricing under the previous NPP administration. Dr Ayew Afriyie rejected those claims, insisting that all procurement processes received the necessary approvals from the Public Procurement Authority.
“It is the considerate position of the Minority that the Weija Children Hospital be opened now,” he said. “There is no further reason for delays in operating that Hospital, especially as we need employment for the many unemployed youth; the nurses and the lab physicians in the system.”
He added that the Ministry of Health could not reasonably attribute any procurement irregularities to the contractor, as all transactions had been conducted through approved channels.
The Weija Children’s Specialist Hospital has been a source of political friction since its construction was completed. The facility was intended to relieve pressure on the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and other health centres serving the densely populated areas along the Accra-Tema corridor. Its prolonged closure has frustrated residents and health workers alike.
The Minority’s intervention adds to growing pressure on the government to clarify a timeline for the hospital’s opening. Health advocates have noted that paediatric healthcare infrastructure in the Greater Accra Region remains overstretched, and that every month of delay carries real consequences for children who need specialist care.
The Ministry of Health has not yet issued a formal response to the Minority’s demands.
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