The Minority Caucus in Parliament has warned to take the level of pressure to another level if the government fails to take immediate action to release the essential medical supplies currently held up at the Tema Port.
This comes after the Health Minister, Okoe Boye, issued a two-week deadline to officials to clear the consignment of medical supplies donated to Ghana by the Global Fund.
The Health Minister had vowed to personally intervene, with the promise that he would visit the port and remain there until the issue was resolved if the ultimatum expired without action.
However, speaking to journalists in Parliament on June 20, 2024, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh urged the government to take immediate action and clear the containers.
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“But we are sending a clear signal and warning that within his own two weeks, all, and the emphasis is all the containers, containing these drugs should be cleared from the port. Not some, as they have been doing,” he added.
“Remember, we addressed you on the locked-up commodities and medications at the port. And as you know, we the members of parliament from the Minority side will not relent in our effort to push the government to clear these locked-up commodities and drugs until they are cleared from the port. That must be put on record and as we speak, not all the containers containing drugs and commodities at the port have been cleared,” Akandoh said.
The Minority MPs also warned and demanded the complete clearance of all medical supply containers at the port within the Health Minister’s own deadline of two weeks.
“But we are sending a clear signal and warning that within his own two weeks, all, and the emphasis is all the containers, containing these drugs should be cleared from the port. Not some, as they have been doing,” he added.
The minority further expressed their willingness to consider the minister’s plea, despite the long delay.
“We are a group of reasonable people and so we have heard the plea by the minister responsible for health that we should give him two weeks. Although it doesn’t make any sense to plead for two weeks to clear commodities that have been at the port for one good year, we have heard him,” he said.
