Amankwa-Manu Rebuts Agyapong Afari Hospital Claim
Former Deputy Minister for Defence Kofi Amankwa-Manu has categorically dismissed assertions by former New Patriotic Party flagbearer hopeful Kennedy Agyapong that Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee was obstructed from inspecting the Afari Military Hospital under the previous administration. The rebuttal reignites scrutiny over legislative oversight and military infrastructure transparency.
According to MyJoyOnline, Mr. Amankwa-Manu described the allegation as unfounded, insisting that the committee enjoyed unfettered access to the facility during its scheduled assessment tours. He emphasized that the Ministry facilitated all statutory engagements, providing technical briefings and escorted walkthroughs of critical wards and installations. The former deputy minister contended that records of parliamentary correspondence and security clearance logs would corroborate the openness that characterized those visits.
The Afari Military Hospital, a strategic health installation designed to augment medical capacity for service personnel and civilians, has periodically featured in debates on project completion and operational readiness. According to MyJoyOnline, Mr. Amankwa-Manu argued that politicization of oversight exercises undermines institutional trust and distracts from substantive deliberations on defence appropriations. He urged political actors to prioritize evidentiary discourse over sensational claims that distort parliamentary records.
Kennedy Agyapong, known for his outspoken interventions on governance matters, had earlier suggested that the committee faced impediments when seeking to evaluate the hospital’s status. According to MyJoyOnline, the former deputy minister countered that such narratives create unwarranted public anxiety and misrepresent civil-military relations. He reiterated that the Defence Ministry remains committed to accountability and welcomes legislative scrutiny within established protocols.
The exchange highlights enduring tensions between executive agencies and oversight bodies, underscoring the imperative for transparent communication to preserve confidence in national security institutions.
Source: MyJoyOnline
Author: Korkor Anumu
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