Health Minister Denies Debt Claims, Says LHIMS Contractors Already Paid $77 Million

The Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has dismissed claims that government owes money to the contractors of the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS), revealing that they have already received US$77 million out of the total US$100 million contract sum.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme, Mr. Akandoh clarified that despite being paid over 70 percent of the contract value, the contractors failed to deliver the project as agreed. According to him, fewer than half of the targeted health facilities were connected to the system before it began to malfunction.

“They brought me an invoice, why should I pay that, especially when they’ve already received seventy-seven million dollars?” he questioned. “At worst, they could have gone to court rather than switching off the system. That’s holding the country to ransom.”

The LHIMS project, initially launched to digitalize patient data and improve efficiency across Ghana’s healthcare network, has faced persistent challenges, including system downtime and incomplete integration in many facilities.

Mr. Akandoh emphasized that the Ministry has since transitioned to a new platform, the Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS), which has been reviewed and cleared by the Attorney General’s Department to ensure stronger oversight, ownership, and sustainability.

He stressed that all decisions regarding the shift from LHIMS to GHIMS were guided by due diligence and legal consultation, adding that the government will not be pressured into making unjustified payments.

“As Minister, I won’t take a reckless decision,” Mr. Akandoh stated firmly. “Our priority is to protect the public interest and ensure that Ghana’s health data systems serve the people effectively.”

The clarification comes amid ongoing public debate over the suspension of LHIMS and allegations of contractual breaches. The Ministry maintains that its focus remains on strengthening digital health infrastructure to support hospitals and clinics nationwide.