Soldiers clash with Minority over Afari hospital inspection

Minority members on Parliament’s Health Committee have called for the immediate opening of the Afari Military Hospital, arguing that the completed facility has remained unused for years while its condition continues to worsen.

The lawmakers expressed concern that the more than 500-bed hospital, located in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region, has been left idle and is gradually being overtaken by weeds and neglect despite the growing demand for healthcare services.

Tensions rose at the facility when military personnel confronted members of the committee and some local residents during a visit to inspect the hospital.

The soldiers accused them of entering the premises without authorisation, leading to a heated disagreement between both sides.

The delegation, made up of New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs and led by the Ranking Member on the Health Committee, Nana Ayew Afriyie, toured the hospital to assess its current state and draw attention to what they described as the waste of a major health investment.

During the inspection, the MPs voiced frustration over the prolonged delay in making the hospital operational. Shortly afterwards, soldiers guarding the facility challenged their presence and insisted that they should have obtained clearance before entering.

The confrontation added to ongoing concerns about the future of the hospital, which many residents believe could help ease pressure on healthcare facilities in the region.

The Minority MPs are currently visiting several locations across the Ashanti Region to highlight abandoned health projects and push for their completion and use.

Their campaign comes at a time when industrial action by doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital has heightened public concerns about access to medical care.

While the military maintained that proper procedures were not followed before the visit, the lawmakers defended their actions.

They argued that the inspection formed part of their responsibility to hold public institutions accountable and draw attention to issues affecting citizens.

According to the MPs, elected representatives have a duty to act whenever critical public projects are neglected or left unused.

Speaking after the incident, Nana Ayew Afriyie described the confrontation as regrettable but said the visit served an important purpose.

“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 called for fairness in the distribution of national development projects, stressing that the Ashanti Region deserves the same level of attention as every other part of the country.

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