National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Awuku, says the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) will run as an autonomous body in line with the running of all research institutions in the country.
Mr Awuku said government cannot be blamed for the delay in opening the facility which is expected to go on a test-run following the constitution of an Interim Board for the entity.
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He assured that the facility will not, in any way, see interference from government in their decisions.
According to him, government had to ensure the controversy surrounding the management of the hospital was dealt with for the facility’s effective operation.
The University of Ghana Medical Centre was built by the erstwhile government and commissioned by the then President John Mahama, some three days before he handed over the reins of power.
The state spent some $270 million to build the facility but more than a year after it’s commissioning, the facility remains closed.
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After intense protest by management of the university, civil society and students, government announced that an Interim Board will, between now and July 2018, complete the staffing process and ensure the provision of final logistics required for a smooth take-off.
The action by government has been described by many as a panic reaction after 17 months of being in office.
In defense, Sammy Awuku on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Friday said government acted in a timely manner.
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He revealed that the Interim Board was set up by the Chief of Staff, Frema Osei Opare after she set up a technical committee to look into the UGMC saga.
“government was not sleeping when this whole issue was going on; the Chief of Staff was working and that was how come the Interim Board was set up” Mr. Awuku stated.
Sammy Awuku assured Ghanaians that the Akufo-Addo government will always act in their supreme interest.