Health Minister Agyemang Manu has advocated for the demolition of multiple health facilities lacking structural integrity, citing a potential risk to lives.

During his appearance before Parliament on Tuesday, November 14, to address questions concerning the delayed works on the La General Hospital, the Minister expressed the necessity for the demolition of several hospitals in the country due to insufficient funds for reconstruction.

Mr. Agyemang Manu highlighted specific facilities such as the Elmina Polyclinic, the Korle-Bu surgical block, and the Akyem Oda Government Hospital that require leveling and subsequent reconstruction.

He acknowledged the financial constraints hindering immediate action, stating, "When you don't have adequate funding, you can't do everything at a go. Salt pond, Elmina, Oda, Korle Bu (surgical block), we need to pull down all these facilities and rebuild them."

Updating the Parliament on various projects, the Minister disclosed the suspension of work on the Komfo Anokye Maternity block due to insufficient funds. He emphasized that the La General Hospital is not the sole facility facing demolition, mentioning the already-demolished Komfo Anokye Maternity Block.

Regarding the stalled work on the La General Hospital, demolished in July 2020, Minister Agyemang Manu assured the government's commitment to its reconstruction. He acknowledged the funding challenges, explaining the suspension of work on the Korle Bu Maternity block in light of the La General Hospital situation.

In response to concerns about the La General Hospital's delayed reconstruction, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu attributed the delay to funds being withheld by the sponsors following Ghana's engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

He mentioned that until Ghana receives a clean bill of health from the IMF, funding will likely remain withheld, leading to a potential downsizing of the project within the context of Agenda 111.

Chairman of the Greater Accra caucus of the Minority, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, threatened a demonstration if funding for the La General Hospital was not included in the 2024 budget. In a subsequent update, Minister Agyemang Manu disclosed that the Finance Ministry had secured €50 million in local funding for the reconstruction.

However, Member of Parliament for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak, questioned the Minister's transparency, asking for the source of the funding. He also raised concerns about the contractors' confidence, highlighting that their request for funds before returning to the site indicates a lack of trust in the government's assurances.

Muntaka expressed doubt about the government's intention to reconstruct the La General Hospital, suggesting it was demolished for political reasons, specifically to win the 2020 general election. He criticized the Minister for the delayed value-for-money audit and questioned the lack of due diligence on the banks involved in the funding syndicate.

Concluding his submission, Muntaka urged the Health Minister to be transparent about the challenges faced, cautioning against raising false hopes without certainty.