Chinese Government provides RMB 400 million grant — via ETCA — for Phase 2 of School of Biomedical Sciences of UHAS Construction Project (Linked to Record ID#32344 and #88555)

Project narrative

On January 11, 2019, the Chinese Government and the Government of Ghana signed an exchange of letters for Phase 2 of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and School of Biomedical Sciences Construction Project. The agreement was signed by by H.E. Mr. Shi Ting Wang, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana on behalf of the People’s Republic of China and Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance on behalf of the Republic of Ghana. The Chinese Government reportedly committed RMB 400 million ($60 million) of grant funding for the project. These funds were drawn (at least in part) from an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ECTA) that the Government of Ghana and the Chinese Government signed on April 6, 2018 (captured via Record ID#88555). Phase 2 of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and School of Biomedical Sciences Construction Project will have a total floor area of 29,200 square meters. The project involves the construction and furnishing of a new central administration block building for the College of Nursing and Midwifery and duty and equipment rooms. It will also facilitate the provision of teaching aids, computers, chairs and desks. Nantong Si Jian Construction Group Co Ltd (also known as Jiangsu Nantong Sanjian Construction Group Co., Ltd. or Nantong Sanjian Holdings (Group) Co.,Ltd) is the contractor responsible for project implementation and China Urban Construction Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. (CUCD) is the contractor responsible for project design. In March 2019, a reconnaissance survey of the proposed project site was undertaken and a project feasibility study was conducted. Several months later, in June 2019, a project design team from the China Urban Construction Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. (CUCD) visited UHAS with preliminary sketch designs for discussion. In June 2019, a project design team from the China Urban Construction Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. (CUCD) who are the Consultants of the Chinese Government visited the University with preliminary sketch designs for discussion with the user departments. After extensive deliberations with the technical staff at UHAS, revisions were made to some aspects of the sketch designs based on the lessons from the execution of the project’s first phase. Then, in July 2019, another team of experts from CUCD visited the proposed project site, and conducted a site survey and geotechnical investigations to help complete the project design. Subsequently, the technical team from UHAS led by the Vice Chancellor met with CUCD in October 2019 to review the project design, agree on modifications, and sign off on the project’s implementation. A formal sod turning ceremony, marking the beginning of project implementation, took place on September 10, 2021. The project was expected to reach completion within 22 months (July 10, 2023), and reached completion on July 25, 2024. The Chinese Government also supported Phase 1 of this project through an RMB 104,850,000 grant (captured via Record ID#32344).