The contractor for the Children’s Specialist Hospital at Weija has handed over the completed facility to the government, marking a major step towards its eventual operationalisation.

The handover ceremony took place on Friday, August 7, with officials of the Ministry of Health receiving the hospital before transferring it to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

Despite the handover, it remains unclear when the 120-bed specialist hospital will begin operations, as the Ghana Health Service is yet to announce the appointment of a management team to oversee the facility. Sources also indicate that government has not fully settled outstanding payments owed to the contractor.

The development comes months after residents and parents in the Weija area staged a demonstration in May 2026, demanding the immediate opening of the hospital, which they said had been completed for more than a year but remained unused.

Following the protest, the contractor was reportedly invited by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) shortly after meeting with the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has renewed his call for the hospital to be opened without further delay, insisting that the facility should not become a subject of political debate.

Speaking to Citi News on Friday, Mr Shaib said the people of Weija and surrounding communities urgently need access to the services the hospital is expected to provide.

“I don’t think we should still be playing politics with this facility. It should be operationalised for people to use it. I had a word from the Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, that it has been operationalised, so I should pass by and see, but when I did, it was still closed,” he said.

Once operational, the Children’s Specialist Hospital is expected to deliver specialised paediatric healthcare services and ease the burden on the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, which has faced operational challenges due to ageing infrastructure.

The facility is also expected to significantly improve access to quality child healthcare for residents of Weija-Gbawe and neighbouring communities.