Hon. Kobena Woyome, the Ranking Member on Youth and Sports for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has stated that building a dedicated hospital for Parliament is not a priority given the country’s current economic situation.
Speaking on ABC Midday on Tuesday, he acknowledged the importance of quality healthcare for MPs and staff but emphasized that Ghana does not have the luxury to undertake such a project at this time.
“It’s not a bad idea, but looking at other challenges like the economy and the people and all they are going through, there will not be that luxury to put that as a priority,” he said.
He further noted that Parliament is in close proximity to Ridge Hospital, which can adequately handle medical emergencies and referrals. “Looking at the proximity, you are not far away from the Ridge Hospital that can take care of some referrals,” he added.
His comments come amid discussions about improving healthcare access for MPs, a debate initially sparked by the Speaker of Parliament’s concerns over the well-being of legislators.
However, Woyome maintains that while the idea is not entirely unreasonable, it is ultimately a question of resource availability and prioritization.