I pray for the day foreign medical trips for government officials will be banned – Okudzeto Ablakwa

Ablakwa accuses President Akufo-Addo of profligacy

North Tongu MP calls for national dialogue on health delivery

Opposition MP calls out NPP for failing on promise

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is advocating for a complete ban on government officials from seeking medical help abroad at the expense of the state.

According to the opposition National Democratic Congress MP, such was a promise made by the ruling New Patriotic Party as far back as 2000 when the party was campaigning for its first stint in power.

“On medical trips abroad for public officials, particularly the political class — I pray for the day we can ban the practice for all including the President, Vice President, Speaker, Deputy Speakers, MPs, First and Second Ladies, Ministers, Presidential Staffers, Special Assistants, etc."

“Interestingly, I recall the NPP promised to ban the tradition of medical treatment abroad for public officials in its 2000 Manifesto (some 22 years ago) — it appears they abandoned the pledge when they won the 2000 elections,” he stated in a Facebook post about receiving criticism on his continues charge against the president of profligacy."

Mr Ablakwa for some months has been accusing President Akufo-Addo of blowing taxpayers' funds on his taste for luxury by sticking to luxuries-chartered flights for his foreign travels.

According to some critics, the MP while being critical of the president has paid a blind eye to the Speaker of Parliament who has been on multiple medical trips to India over the past months.

“Here’s to the disingenuous critics: The day Speaker Bagbin uses a private jet at taxpayer expense, you can be assured in all sincerity and humility that he won’t escape my tracking system and stern condemnation,” he noted.

According to him, it is wrong for his critics to accuse him of being hypocritical in ignoring the speakers’ foreign travels.

“I am all for the principle but it is most unfair to single out Speaker Bagbin and accuse some of us of being hypocritical especially when we haven’t criticized the many others for embarking on medical travels abroad,” he said.

Mr Ablakwa said there is the need to have a conversation on health delivery in the country as well as a way to insist on policymakers to patronize the health policies available in the country instead of travelling outside for same.

“Surely, let’s be bold to have a frank and open discussion on the state of Ghana’s healthcare delivery, confidentiality of all patients regardless of status and how we can insist that those responsible for public health policies patronize what we create for the masses.

“That said, this must be a bigger, sincere, patriotic discourse — let’s not Bagbinize it,” he added.





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