- Contractor abandoned GH¢15M COVID centre project after receiving GH¢4.5M upfront
- Project site left at foundation level, overtaken by weeds and stagnant water
- Auditor-General recommends contract termination and fund recovery
Health officials at the Baptist Medical Centre in Nalerigu are grappling with a dire situation—patients with a variety of infectious diseases are being treated in one overcrowded makeshift ward. This has become necessary after a contractor, who was paid GH¢4.5 million upfront to build a dedicated COVID-19 treatment centre, abandoned the project.
Imagine being treated for Mpox while sharing a room with patients suffering from cholera and tuberculosis. A single uncontrolled cough could mean a new infection. This is the harsh daily reality at the facility.
The current ward, originally meant solely for tuberculosis cases, has been repurposed over time to manage a growing number of infectious diseases. According to Medical Director Dr. Isabella Amese, the team has had no choice but to improvise in the face of inadequate infrastructure.
In 2020, the government awarded Makro Structures Limited a GH¢15 million contract to construct a COVID-19 treatment centre in Nalerigu. Although GH¢4.5 million was paid upfront, the contractor has completed only 10% of the civil works and abandoned the site. A visit by JOYNEWS revealed that the project remains at the foundation level, overrun with weeds and stagnant water. No work has been done since.
The Auditor-General’s special report on COVID-19 expenditures from March 2020 to 2022 confirmed that repeated efforts by the Ministry of Health to get the contractor back to work have failed. Critically, the contractor never signed a performance bond—leaving no immediate recourse for accountability.
Local leaders are outraged. Bukari Fuseini, Assembly Member for the Zaari Fong Electoral Area, called for urgent government intervention, expressing disappointment in the contractor’s performance.
The Auditor-General has since recommended that the Ministry of Health’s Chief Director recover the GH¢4.5 million, terminate the contract, and reassign the project. Should this fail, the Director may be held personally responsible for refunding the amount.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Health Ministry have so far been unsuccessful.
This issue is not isolated to Nalerigu. In Goaso, Ahafo Region, the local infectious disease centre remains partially completed. Signage, sensor panels, and roof repairs are outstanding. Though some equipment has been delivered, key items such as an X-ray machine, deep freezer, and stove are still missing. The facility remains non-operational.
In Zebilla, Upper East Region, the infectious disease centre is structurally complete. However, due to the lack of any current outbreak, sections have been repurposed into neonatal and antenatal units. A designated space remains reserved for future infectious disease cases, according to Ayobi Abdul Rahman, Medical Superintendent of Bawku West Hospital. However, vital equipment like ventilators and X-ray machines have not been supplied.
This investigation was supported by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition as part of a broader initiative to promote accountability in public spending. The journalist retained full editorial independence in the creation of this report.
