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Following the inability of the government to clear all the essential medical supplies at the Tema Port, the Minority caucus in Parliament has threatened to stage a demonstration if the government fails to clear all the consignments.

The call of the minority caucus comes on the heels of a recent ultimatum given by the Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye to officers of the ministry to clear all the  essential medical supplies donated to Ghana by Global Fund.

The Health Minister, Bernard Okoe Boye assured that he will be compelled to visit the port and sit there until the right thing is done after the two-week ultimatum has elapsed.

Ranking Member on the health Committee of parliament and Member of Parliament for Juaboso Constituency in the Western North Region, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, addressing the press, impressed upon the government to clear the containers which have been held hostage at the ports since 2023.     
                                                                                      
He said, “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.

“We are a group of reasonable people and so we have heard the plea by the Minister responsible for help that we should give him two weeks.

He further stated that, “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 but we are sending a clear signal and warning that within his own two weeks, all, and the emphasis is all, all the containers, containing these drugs should be cleared from the port. Not some, as they have been doing.”

He admonished the government to treat the dire situation as a matter of urgency stating that the government ought to respond to the grievances of the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union to avoid the situation of health workers travelling outside the country to seek greener pastures.