Ashanti Also Matters”: NPP MPs Clash with Soldiers Over Neglect of Afari Military Hospital
Minority Members of Parliament on the Health Committee are demanding the immediate operationalization 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 in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region when soldiers guarding the premises confronted the MPs and residents, accusing them of entering without authorization.
The NPP delegation, led by Ranking Member Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, had gone to assess the state of the long-idle hospital project, which has remained unused for years. After a brief inspection during which the lawmakers raised alarm over the worsening condition of the facility, they and their entourage were intercepted by military personnel, leading to a heated standoff.
The Minority MPs are currently touring parts of the Ashanti Region to push for the urgent activation of abandoned health infrastructure, a move that has gained urgency following the doctors’ strike at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, which has heightened concerns over healthcare access in the region.
The soldiers maintained that the MPs should have obtained prior clearance before entering the premises. The lawmakers rejected the claim, describing the visit as a necessary emergency oversight exercise. They argued that public officials must be held accountable and that when institutions fail to act, elected representatives are obliged to intervene.
Addressing the media after the altercation, Dr. Afriyie acknowledged that the incident was regrettable but insisted the visit was essential to expose the neglected state of critical 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 said.
He also stressed the need for balanced development across all regions, adding: “Just as other regions matter, Ashanti also matters.”
The clash has reignited debates over security protocols at state installations and renewed public concern about the number of abandoned health projects nationwide.
_Credit: LoyalNewsGH_
