Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Minority side of Parliament’s Health Committee were yesterday prevented from accessing parts of the Afari Military Hospital in the Ashanti Region during an inspection tour of the facility.
The lawmakers, who were at the hospital to assess the progress of the long-delayed project, reportedly encountered resistance from military personnel stationed at the facility.
The soldiers insisted that access to certain sections of the hospital required prior authorisation, and denied the MPs entry after they failed to produce the necessary clearance.
The development resulted in a brief confrontation between the lawmakers and the military officers, with both sides defending their positions.
The Minority MPs argued that Parliament’s constitutional oversight mandate empowered them to inspect publicly funded projects without seeking additional permission, while the military personnel maintained that security protocols governing military installations must be respected at all times.
The incident attracted the attention of workers and visitors at the site, although no injuries or arrests were recorded.
Despite efforts to resolve the impasse, the committee was unable to inspect the areas at the centre of the dispute before leaving the facility.
The latest development has reignited concerns about the fate of the Afari Military Hospital project, which has suffered years of delays despite being touted as a major healthcare investment for the Ashanti Region.
Residents and healthcare stakeholders have repeatedly expressed frustration over the slow pace of work and the delay in operationalising the facility.
As of press time yesterday, neither the Health Committee nor the military authorities had officially commented on the incident.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi