Contractor on KATH Mother and Baby unit project awaits payment as materials expire

The Liaison Officer for Contracta, construction firm for the stalled Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Mother and Baby Unit, Emmanuel Danso, has expressed worry persistent non-payment to the contractor.

He has warned that prolonged delays are exposing procured construction materials to deterioration and the loss of warranty protections.

He says some materials purchased for the project have already become defective or expired, while others risk losing their warranty coverage as the project remains suspended.

Speaking on Ghanakoma morning show on Akoma 87.9fm in Kumasi with Sir John, on Thursday, October 15,2026, Mr Danso, revealed that, the situation is affecting the progress of work.

He said, the contractor has been unable to resume full-scale construction because payments for work undertaken have not been honoured, forcing the project into repeated suspensions.

He said the project has been suspended for some months now, following an earlier period of reduced construction activity caused by delays in payments to the contractor.

He explained that the contractor had continued maintaining the site during the suspension periods, but the prolonged delays were undermining efforts to complete the facility and protect investments already made.

“The suspension is as a result of non-payment to the contractor,” he stated. adding that the contractor is awaiting payment to return to the site and continue work.

The Mother and Baby Unit project was initiated in November 2019, with the original plan being to complete an existing hospital structure with a capacity of about 850 beds.

But, Danso said an assessment conducted after the contractor took over the site revealed serious structural defects in the existing building.

Three other firms, together with the Ghana Institution of Engineers, were subsequently engaged to assess the structure and determine the appropriate course of action.

The assessment concluded that the cost of repairing the existing building was not economically advisable, leading to a decision to demolish the structure and redesign the project.

The project was consequently redesigned as a 509-bed hospital, with the contractor undertaking the demolition of the old structure alongside the construction of the new facility.

The project cost was €138.5M, although Mr. Danso said the prolonged suspensions had resulted in additional costs.

The project is being executed under a design-and-build contract, which places responsibility on the contractor for the design, construction, equipping, and eventual handover of the facility, including the training of personnel.

He said the contractor had procured several materials and equipment, including air-conditioning systems, electrical components, and the building facade materials required to enclose the structure.

However, the prolonged suspension has created uncertainty over the condition and usability of some of the items held in storage.

He cautioned that the delays could undermine the warranties intended to protect the project and its eventual users.

He explained that some of the procured materials carry warranty periods, meaning prolonged delays before installation and commissioning could reduce the period of protection available once the facility becomes operational.