The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called for the immediate arrest of persons who angrily locked up offices of the NHIS in Tema earlier this week.
An angry group, who claimed to be executives of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Tema, earlier in the week, locked up the offices in protest at certain government appointments they allegedly disagreed with.
In a statement signed by Ranking Member on the Health Committee Nana Ayew Afriyie, the Minority condemned the unlawful act, calling it “a direct assault on public order”.
“The Minority in Parliament expresses grave concern over the unlawful locking of the Tema Central office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by certain political party executives,” the statement said.
“This conduct represents a direct assault on public order and an unacceptable obstruction of essential healthcare services. The NHIS exists to serve vulnerable citizens, not to be weaponised in partisan disputes,” it added.
“The action constitutes unlawful interference with a public institution. No political grievance justifies shutting down a national health service office.”
The Minority Caucus called for the “immediate arrest of all persons directly involved is warranted,” adding that failure to do so sets a “dangerous precedent”.
“Law enforcement authorities must act decisively to apprehend and process those responsible in accordance with the laws of Ghana. Failure to enforce the law sets a dangerous precedent.
“Allowing political actors to obstruct public institutions without consequence undermines state authority and weakens public confidence in governance. Health services must never be disrupted for partisan leverage. Citizens seeking registration, renewals, and claims processing should not suffer because of internal political disagreements.”
The Minority Caucus also called for the swift reopening of the office and restoration of full services.