Minority MPs on Parliament’s Health Committee are demanding the immediate operationalisation of the over 500-bed Afari Military Hospital, which they say has been abandoned and left to deteriorate amid overgrowth and neglect.
Chaos has sparked at the Afari Military Hospital in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region, after soldiers stationed at the facility confronted members of the minority and residents on the Health Committee over what they described as an unauthorised entry into the premises.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament, led by Ranking Member Nana Ayew Afriyie, had visited the facility to assess the condition of the long-abandoned over 500-bed capacity hospital project, which has reportedly been left unused for years.
After a brief inspection, during which the lawmakers expressed concern about the deteriorating condition of the facility, the MPs and accompanying residents were stopped by military personnel guarding the hospital. The encounter quickly escalated into a tense exchange between both sides.
The Minority MPs are currently touring parts of the Ashanti Region to press for the urgent activation of abandoned health infrastructure, especially following industrial action by doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, which has heightened concerns about access to healthcare services.
However, military personnel at the facility insisted the MPs should have obtained prior clearance before entering the premises. That position sparked further disagreement, with the lawmakers maintaining that their visit formed part of an urgent oversight exercise needed to draw attention to the situation.
The MPs maintained that public officials must be held accountable, stressing that when institutions fail to act, elected representatives have a responsibility to draw attention to such situations.
Speaking after the confrontation, Ranking Member Nana Ayew Afriyie acknowledged the incident was unfortunate but said the visit was necessary to spotlight the abandoned 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 further emphasised the need for balanced development across all regions, insisting that the Ashanti Region must not be sidelined in national infrastructure delivery.
“Just as other regions matter, Ashanti also matters,” he added.
The incident has since triggered renewed discussions about security protocols at state facilities, as well as growing concerns over abandoned healthcare projects across the country.