Abandoned KATH maternity block to be demolished

The state has disclosed plans to pull down the four-decade-old uncompleted maternity and children’s block of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

The move, according to government officials is to allow for the reconstruction of an entirely new ultramodern edifice.

Authorities explained that the facility which is located in the Ashanti Regional capital has failed to meet its structural integrity test after an assessment by the construction firm tasked to ensure its completion.

Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah who spoke on Kumasi-based Abusua FM confirmed that the decision to pull down the facility is based on the final report by the construction firm, Contracta, after its assessment of the whole structure.

“The construction firm proposed that the building should be demolished and re-constructed entirely after it conducted a structural integrity test on the facility. The proposal was tabled before authorities and a decision to pull down the building was arrived at. This is necessary because it is good to do the right thing since one does not know what could happen in the future should the contractor go-ahead to continue with the project. So it is true that the facility will be pulled down and reconstructed with new designs altogether,” he explained

READ ALSO:
Contractor abandons Asensu –Dwain deplorable road, Assembly member calls for immediate action

The Minister said a stakeholder consultation has begun to sensitize the public especially people who live close to the facility to get them to cooperate with authorities when the demolishing of the project starts.

President Akufo-Addo in May 2020 cut the sod for the construction of the project and gave a completion deadline of 36-months.

The construction and completion of the project will be funded by the Deutsche Bank in Germany at a cost of €155 million.