By Daniel Bampoe
The Minority Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has publicly criticized government officials for politicizing the tragic death of Charles Amissah, a victim of a hit-and-run incident whose passing has intensified national debate over emergency healthcare services.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah described attempts by the Deputy Minister for Health, Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah to link the tragedy to unfinished projects under the previous Akufo-Addo administration as “partisan and inappropriate”, stressing that such narratives detract from the real issues of accountability and healthcare reform.
The controversy emerged after the Deputy Minister for Health suggested that the fatality could have been avoided if the Agenda 111 hospital projects had been completed under the prior administration.
Oppong Nkrumah rejected this assertion, emphasizing that politicizing a death, particularly one currently under investigation, “is disrespectful to the family and counterproductive to national health objectives.”
According to the MP, the incident, which occurred in an urban area with available medical facilities, raises serious concerns about the availability and responsiveness of healthcare personnel.
He highlighted that if life-saving services are failing in well-resourced urban centers, the situation in rural areas—where medical facilities and trained personnel are scarce—remains deeply concerning.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah called for a credible and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Charles Amissah’s death and insisted that any wrongdoing by healthcare professionals must be fully addressed.
He also underscored the need for system-wide reforms to ensure that emergency healthcare processes, including triage and timely response, are consistently observed across the country.
The MP’s intervention comes against the backdrop of administrative actions by Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, where two doctors and two nurses were interdicted following allegations that they failed to provide emergency care to the victim. A hospital committee has been constituted to investigate the matter, and the Board of Management has assured the public of a transparent and fair inquiry.
Oppong Nkrumah’s comments reflect growing frustration among lawmakers and the public over the intersection of healthcare failures and political rhetoric.
He urged colleagues across party lines to prioritize reforms that protect citizens’ lives over partisan point-scoring, insisting that tragedies like Charles Amissah’s death should serve as a catalyst for strengthening the emergency medical response system, rather than as ammunition for political debate.
In conclusion, the Ofoase-Ayirebi MP extended condolences to the bereaved family and reiterated that while political debate is a normal part of governance, the human cost of systemic failures should never be exploited for political gain, urging the government to focus on accountability, capacity-building, and equitable healthcare delivery nationwide.
