Nananom to Inspect ‘Abandoned’ Afari and Sewua Hospitals

Traditional authorities in Kumasi will visit the Afari Military Hospital and the Sewua Hospital next week.

They resolved to embark on the visit and communicated the decision to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, after he appeared before them on June 11, 2026, to answer questions on healthcare developments within Kumasi.

The visit was initially set for June 12, 2026. However, the Minister requested a week to get the contractor and project consultant on site to brief Nananom on the current state of the facilities.

The meeting at the Manhyia Palace, chaired by Nana Boakye Yam Ababio, Nkwantakesehene, who is currently in charge of Kumasi in the absence of the Asantehene, was used to ascertain the current state of Sewua and Afari Hospitals, which appear to be abandoned despite congestion at the Accident and Emergency Centre at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

Nananom observed that most of the accidents recorded at the Centre resulted from irresponsible road behaviour by tricycle riders, also known as ‘pragya’ riders, and called for action.

Nananom also probed the Minister about the poor sanitary state of Kumasi and its environs.

Facilities Update
The Minister, in response, indicated that the government had strategically completed and commissioned 15 primary hospitals across the region to provide basic health services to residents, while 48 remain under construction and are set to be completed by the end of the year.

These projects, he noted, were inherited from the previous government.

He indicated that this strategy is to offload pressure on district and tertiary hospitals within the region.

He further reported the completion and commissioning of three secondary-level facilities in 2025 at Drobonso, Twedie, and Suame.

On Agenda 111 projects, he said President John Dramani Mahama had designated 10 of them across the country for completion this year, with two of them in the Ashanti Region, including Trede and Oforikrom.

He noted that a task force had been set up to ensure all 10 are completed. At the tertiary level of healthcare delivery, Dr Amoakohene said GH₵400 million had been released by GETFund to continue the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Medical Hospital.

In addition, he said the Afari Hospital had stalled due to procurement processes and could only resume after all paperwork is in place.

Sewua Update
Meanwhile, he reported that work on the Sewua Hospital was progressing, as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has begun the establishment of a substation to power the facility, while a letter has been written to Ghana Water Limited (GWL) for water supply to the hospital.

He added that a contract has been awarded to Kofi Job Construction to construct the road network leading to the facility.

“The contractor has assured us that he will move to the site next week,” he said.

 

KATH Renovation Halt
The Minister further confirmed the suspension of the Heal Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) project championed by the Asantehene, noting that the move was to provide adequate space to receive patients while buying the government time to complete the Afari and Sewua hospitals.

“The renovation project at KATH will resume immediately when these facilities become operational,” he said.

Other KATH Projects
Meanwhile, he said other projects had begun at KATH, including a Catheterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab) aimed at addressing the rising cases of heart disease and cardiac arrest.

He further stated that the KATH Maternity and Children’s Block had, however, stalled and was being handled by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

KATH Referrals
The Minister also touched on congestion at KATH, noting that the Regional Health Directorate had initiated measures to deal with it.

One of these measures, he said, was to refer medical officers at KATH to other district hospitals to offer their services to patients and train medical professionals there.

He also announced what he called ‘reverse referrals’, where patients referred from district hospitals to KATH will be sent back once their condition stabilises.

He noted that these measures are yet to be approved by the Ministry of Health for implementation.

Pragya Concern
Meanwhile, he announced that amended road traffic regulations before Parliament would serve as a panacea to concerns about accidents caused by Pragya riders.

Afari Unassured
In conclusion, the Minister assured Nananom of the government’s commitment to health in the Ashanti Region, noting that work on Sewua, Trede, Oforikrom, and KNUST hospitals is actively in progress.

He, however, admitted that work on the Afari hospital is uncertain.

According to him, it can progress only when paperwork is completed in time for the mid-year budget.

Sanitation
The Ashanti Regional Minister outlined initiatives to ensure proper sanitary conditions within Kumasi, including National Sanitation Day, District Assembly Common Fund allocation, attainment of a landfill site at Ejisu, institution of a Sanitation Taskforce, the Samansaman project, and the lawn directive.

Taking over from there, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Kumasi, Hon. Richard Ofori Agyemang, said sanitation had improved within the metropolis, though it remains inadequate.

He reported that 2,000 to 3,000 tonnes of waste are generated within the metropolis daily, adding that KMA pays roughly GH₵150,000 weekly on waste alone, leaving it financially handicapped in undertaking other projects.

Arrest
Among his initiatives, he said, was the arrest and prosecution of offenders, which recently led to the fining of 25 people and the jailing of one other.

This, he stated, had put fear in people who litter.

‘Samansaman Initiative’
Following results from these arrests, he said, the Assembly had decided to go further by reinstating the ‘Samansaman’ initiative for instant prosecution of offenders across the metropolis.

This, he said, will begin on July 3, 2026.

He used the occasion to marshal the support of Nananom, urging them to support the Assembly and refuse to send pleas on behalf of offenders.

 

“We urge Nananom to let the law take its due course and not lead offenders to plead, because that gets in the way of instilling discipline,” he said.

Sweeper Trucks
He announced that the Assembly had procured sweeper trucks, which are currently in the country, to enhance sanitation.

He disclosed that training on their use will begin next week, adding that this will result in job cuts for sweepers employed by the Assembly.

Oti Landfill Concern
The Mayor also raised concerns about the Oti landfill site, which is currently at capacity and yet has no alternative.

“The landfill site was supposed to be closed in 2019; however, we continue to use it because there is no other alternative,” he said.

He said the issue there becomes compounded whenever it rains due to the state of the site.

 

The overwhelming nature of the facility forced him to beseech Otumfuo some time ago, he said, adding that His Majesty had some investors from Canada come in to assess it and explore better use for energy generation.

According to him, the investors have promised to start work on it in three months.

New Landfill
Meanwhile, he implored Nananom for land for the construction of two refuse cells in the metropolis.

He disclosed that government approval had been obtained to secure a loan facility for this project and assured Nananom that the facility would not create any health hazards.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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