Ajumako (C/R), Oct. 22, GNA - A 30 bed district hospital at Ajumako in the Central Region is to be commissioned by December 2010 after three years of construction.

The project is being funded by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the Ghana government at a cost of GH¢116,818, Mr Francis Laryea, the OPEC/Project Implementation Unit (PIU) project quantity surveyor, said.

At a site meeting after inspection of works on Thursday, Mr Michael Asamoah, member of the OPEC/PIU team accepted the progress report on the maternity block and operation theatre, which were 85 and 75 per cent complete respectively and urged all stakeholders, especially the sub and main contractors to finish their work by the end of October 2010. It was also agreed that the OPD/adjacent clinic, rehabilitation of wards, conversion of the administrative block and other external works be completed by November ending to ensure it's handing over by December. The project which should have been completed over a year ago, had to be revised because of financial challenges that slowed the progress of work for sometime.

Alhaji Majeed Ziblim, OPEC/PIU Project Accountant, assured all contractors that although the cash flow from the government had been slow, the OPEC portion of the funding is guaranteed and that directives from the Controller and Accountant General Department had also release the government's portion of the funding last weekend. He urged all the contractors to work hard to complete the project on time.

Meanwhile, a container full of equipment, materials and accessories for the maternity and the theatre has arrived at the site over a year ago and are now at the mercy of the weather. 22 Oct 10