NPP MPs clash with soldiers during inspection of abandoned Afari Military Hospital

NPP MPs clash with soldiers during inspection of abandoned Afari Military Hospital

Minority Members of Parliament on the Health Committee are calling for the immediate activation of the over 500-bed Afari Military Hospital, warning that the facility has been deserted and is deteriorating due to overgrowth and neglect.

Tensions flared at the hospital, located in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region, when soldiers guarding the premises confronted the MPs and some residents, accusing them of entering without authorization.

The NPP delegation, led by Ranking Member Nana Ayew Afriyie, had gone to assess the state of the long-idle hospital project, which is said to have remained unused for years.

After a short inspection in which the lawmakers voiced alarm over the facility’s worsening condition, they and the accompanying residents were intercepted by military personnel. The standoff rapidly intensified into a heated argument.

The Minority MPs are currently touring parts of the Ashanti Region to push for the urgent operationalization of abandoned health infrastructure, especially following a strike by doctors at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital that has heightened concerns over healthcare access.

The soldiers, however, maintained that the MPs should have obtained prior clearance before entering the premises-a stance the lawmakers fiercely rejected, describing the visit as a crucial emergency oversight exercise.

The MPs stressed that public officials must be held to account, arguing that when institutions fail to act, people’s representatives are obliged to intervene and highlight the situation.

Addressing the media after the altercation, Ranking Member Nana Ayew Afriyie acknowledged the incident was regrettable but insisted the visit was essential to expose the neglected state of vital health infrastructure.

“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 stated.

He emphasized the need for balanced development across all regions, asserting that the Ashanti Region must not be sidelined in the delivery of national infrastructure.

“Just as other regions matter, Ashanti also matters,” he added.

The incident has reignited debates about security protocols at state installations and mounting public worry over abandoned health projects nationwide.

Credit to Myjoyonline