A planned inspection visit by members of Parliament’s Minority Caucus to the Afari Military Hospital in the Ashanti Region on Wednesday turned tense after military personnel challenged the lawmakers’ authority to access the facility.
The delegation had travelled to the hospital to assess the status of the long-delayed project amid growing public concern over healthcare delivery in the Ashanti Region, particularly following recent developments at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
The lawmakers said their visit was motivated by concerns about mounting pressure on health services after the suspension of KATH’s Chief Executive Officer and the subsequent strike action by doctors, which disrupted healthcare delivery.
However, upon arrival at the military facility, the MPs were met by soldiers who insisted that the delegation had failed to obtain the necessary clearance before entering the premises.
In a heated exchange, one of the military officers questioned the lawmakers’ presence, asking, “So, who gave you the authority to enter?”
Responding to the challenge, Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, defended the visit, arguing that the delegation was carrying out its duty in the national interest.
“I am working for you. We are here, and we are doing what we are doing for Ghana,” he stated.
The explanation, however, failed to calm tensions as the officer maintained that proper procedures had been ignored.
“You are not working for anybody. You say you are an MP, so you know the law, so why do you come here without authorisation?” the soldier replied.
He further stressed the need for protocol to be observed, adding: “Listen to me, we have leaders, and also a police station here. All I am saying is that they should have sought permission.”
Dr. Ayew Afriye subsequently justified the Minority’s actions, describing the situation as one that required urgent attention.
“In emergency situations where people are being turned away, and people are dying, do you want it to affect my family member before I act?” he questioned.
He continued: “Nobody says these things are right, but they are necessary. It has become a tool for the government to act.”
The confrontation briefly interrupted the inspection exercise before calm was restored, allowing discussions to continue.
The Afari Military Hospital project, one of the largest healthcare infrastructure initiatives in the country, was initiated under a turnkey agreement between the Government of Ghana and Euroget De-Invest in 2008. Construction officially commenced in March 2014 with an expected completion date of 2017.
Despite significant progress on the physical structures, the facility has yet to become fully operational. Its commissioning has faced repeated delays over the years due to a combination of technical, legal and funding challenges, leaving many residents and healthcare stakeholders frustrated over the prolonged wait.
