A proposal by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for the establishment of a dedicated hospital for Members of Parliament (MPs) and the construction of a new parliamentary chamber has been met with opposition from the MP for Bawku Central and Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga.
The issue came up during the swearing-in of the Parliamentary Service Board on Monday, March 17, where Afenyo-Markin suggested that lawmakers needed a specialized healthcare facility to cater to their medical needs.
He also reignited the debate on the construction of a new parliamentary chamber, arguing that both initiatives were necessary to improve the working conditions of MPs.
However, Mahama Ayariga rejected the proposals, citing Ghana’s struggling economy as a reason why such projects would be unjustifiable at this time.
He insisted that given the country’s pressing economic challenges, a new chamber and a hospital for MPs should not be considered priorities.
Afenyo-Markin’s renewed call for a new chamber revisited a controversial proposal first introduced in 2019.
At the time, the idea faced strong opposition from citizens and civil society groups, who argued that Parliament should focus on addressing critical national issues rather than pursuing self-serving infrastructure projects.
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