NDC never imported “empty trotro” for ambulance- WR NDC Organiser

Western Region Organiser for the opposition National Democratic Congress, Japhet Baidoo has described as frivolous, propaganda marshalled by the ruling government that the thirty Mercedes Benz Sprinter mini buses procured by former President John Dramani’s administration, was only fit for ‘trotro’.

Mr. Baidoo argued that government then, had planned to stock these vehicles with the required logistics and supplies; a component of the procurement that were to be delivered before commissioning.

He alleged that the over 300 ambulances that have been commissioned by the Nana Addo administration, were ‘empty’ upon arrival, and that the fittings were installed within the six month period to its commissioning last Tuesday.

“The NPP were talking about- we imported empty ambulance, empty cars to be used as ambulance. Ignorance! In fact what they [NPP] imported was empty! Is it not the six months that they used to fix certain things? That is how ambulance is made” he argued.

The NDC Organiser continued, having admitted the relevance of investing in the ambulance service, that, government need to concentrate resources at building and improving more health centres across the country, so Ghanaians could be assured of quality health care.

“…ambulance is good but CHPs centers, clinics,  hospitals are most important in terms of priority. When you bring an ambulance, and it comes to pick you, the ambulance will not send you to ‘nikanika’, the ambulance will send you to hospitals that H.E John Dramani Mahama built across the country” Mr Baidoo added.

Minister for Health, Kweku Agyemang Manu in 2017, assessed that the ambulances were not fit for purpose. He described them as “sprinter buses fitted with kitchen panels”. The previous administration decided to procure some 200 ambulances to improve stock at the National Ambulance Service.

According to Kweku Agyemang Manu, the cost of the ambulances was estimated at $2.4 million- “were procured under questionable circumstances by the previous administration”.