Health Minister Dismisses Bribery Allegations Over LHIMS Contract

Ghana’s Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has emphatically denied allegations that he demanded a 23 percent commission from the contractor handling the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS), describing the claims as “false, baseless, and senseless.”

Appearing on Adom TV’s Badwam morning show, the Minister fired back at the accusations in an unrestrained outburst, declaring, “He can go to hell and say what he wants. What matters is that I’m doing the job I was appointed to do.”

Mr. Akandoh insisted that the controversy had nothing to do with corruption but stemmed from a contractual disagreement over the renewal of a maintenance agreement.

“The service maintenance agreement is completely different from a project extension,” he clarified. “I never demanded a commission. If someone is bent on destroying my reputation, they will lie, but it will not work.”

Confrontation Abroad

The Minister recounted a heated encounter with the contractor during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, saying the individual verbally attacked him in public.

“This guy insulted me on the streets of New York,  right there in front of everyone. But not everything we see or hear should be taken at face value,” he recounted.

Despite the tension, Mr. Akandoh maintained that he continued to act professionally. He said that even after the incident, he offered the contractor an opportunity to sign a new service maintenance agreement, but rejected what he described as an inflated invoice.

“He later brought an invoice worth nearly a million dollars. I asked him, ‘On what basis can we pay you this?’ That’s how reasonable I am,” the Minister said.

“I’m a Village Boy, Not a Greedy Man”

Mr. Akandoh used the platform to defend his character, portraying himself as a humble public servant with modest roots.

“I’m a village boy and a rice farmer. I’m not motivated by money,” he said. “People will try to tarnish your image when you’re doing your job, but I remain focused on what matters.”

He added that public service naturally attracts criticism and political attacks, especially when reforms disrupt existing interests.

“Leadership comes with lies and manipulation. But I’m looking at the bigger picture, Ghana’s health system deserves better, and that’s what I’m working toward,” he concluded.