The Parliament Committee on National Economy members and Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng have today been denied access to the International Specialized Hospital site in Lubowa.
The parliament committee members reached the site first but the contractor’s employees blocked them from making their way into the construction premises. A few minutes later Minister Aceng arrived but she could not help either.
“It’s our responsibility to monitor and ensure that the monies are properly spent. But we have been refused access and we are wondering what’s going on inside,” Katerera County MP Hatwib Katoto said.
Minister Aceng said that blocking them does not affect the progress of the project because the contractor was found on site doing work. However, she added that the contractor has to put proper supervisors on site that can handle government officials.
The Parliament Committee on National Economy had written to the Ministry of Health seeking clearance to visit the site. This was intended to ascertain the status of the work going on, but to also see who is managing the site.
Reports indicated that process of the construction of the facility had been marred with controversies as ROKO construction limited accused Finasi International FZC of unfairly edging them out of the venture in favour of Power China Guizhou Engineering Co, Ltd.
Early this year, Parliament approved a $379 million loan guarantee to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Finasi/ROKO to construct the 264-bed facility to be operated as a world-class internationally accredited facility.