Former Minister of Health, Bernard Okoe Boye, has challenged the Ministry of Health to produce evidence backing allegations of procurement irregularities linked to the Weija Paediatric Hospital project.

According to him, accusations of procurement breaches should not be made publicly without documentary proof to support such claims.

He argued that government officials must be transparent and factual when discussing matters relating to major public infrastructure projects.

Dr Okoe Boye also questioned what he described as inconsistencies in the Ministry’s communication regarding the delayed opening of the facility.

He suggested that claims of procurement breaches appeared difficult to reconcile with indications that the hospital could soon be commissioned.

Speaking on Channel One TV on Thursday, May 7, the former minister dismissed assertions that the project was marred by irregularities during his tenure.

“Someone tells you there’s misprocurement, and at the same time, they are telling you in three weeks they are going to commission. Don’t you see the contradiction?” he asked during the interview.

He maintained that there was no wrongdoing in the procurement processes associated with the project and insisted that allegations of “misprocurement” were unfounded.

The comments follow a protest by residents on Tuesday, May 5, during which demonstrators demanded the immediate commissioning and operationalisation of the Weija Paediatric Hospital.