A confrontation erupted at the Afari Military Hospital in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region when military personnel challenged Minority MPs from Parliament’s Health Committee and local inhabitants over an allegedly unapproved entry.
The opposition lawmakers are insisting on the prompt opening of the 500-plus bed facility, which they argue has been neglected and allowed to decay amid wild vegetation.
Led by Ranking Member Nana Ayew Afriyie, the Members of Parliament toured the premises to evaluate the state of the long-delayed hospital project, which has reportedly sat idle for several years.
Following a quick walkthrough where the politicians voiced their anxieties over the decaying infrastructure, security forces stationed at the site blocked the delegation and residents, causing a tense verbal dispute to flare up between the two sides.
This inspection is part of a broader tour by Minority MPs across the Ashanti Region aimed at pressuring authorities to open idle healthcare facilities, especially since a recent strike by doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital has severely threatened public access to medical care.
The soldiers stood their ground, arguing that the parliamentary delegation needed formal authorization before accessing the property. This stance faced immediate resistance from the lawmakers, who defended their unannounced arrival as an essential, urgent oversight mission. They argued that public bodies must remain transparent and that when institutions fall short, elected representatives are obligated to intervene and spotlight the issues.
Reflecting on the clash afterward,Ranking Member Nana Ayew Afriyie remarked that though the altercation was regrettable, the tour was vital for drawing attention to the derelict condition of essential medical centers.
“Nobody says these things are right, but it is necessary to put pressure on government. It is a tool for demonstration, a tool to express your feeling,” he said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
