Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has directed the Members to take a proactive interest in the recent hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of a young man, emphasizing that the House must assume full oversight of the matter.
He instructed the Health Committee to thoroughly review all reports from the Ministry of Health, Korle-Bu Hospital, and other relevant institutions, and to conduct a deep investigation to ensure accountability.
The Speaker stressed the urgent need for Parliament to take control of the process to prevent further needless deaths and ensure justice.
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The directive follows an urgent statement by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin on Tuesday, who called for a parliamentary investigation into the death of the victim, Charles Amissah, who reportedly died after being turned away by multiple hospitals following the hit-and-run accident.
Afenyo-Markin described the incident as a catastrophic failure of the state, insisting that the young man’s death was entirely avoidable. “This is not a partisan matter. This is about a human being—a young Ghanaian who should be alive today,” he told the House.
According to the Minority Leader, Amissah was involved in the accident on February 9, 2026, near the Circle overpass. An ambulance from the Ghana Ambulance Service arrived within minutes and found him alive with stable vital signs.
“These were the vital signs of a living man—a man with a fighting chance,” Afenyo-Markin said.
Despite initial stabilization, the hit-and-run victim was transported to multiple health facilities, including Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, but was reportedly denied admission due to lack of beds.
“His life ebbed away in that ambulance while institutions mandated to save him refused to receive him,” he lamented.
Afenyo-Markin cited a 2018 directive by the Ghana Health Service, which prohibits denial of emergency care based on bed availability and mandates immediate stabilization using any available surface.
“That principle was abandoned, and a man died as a result,” he said.
He appealed to the Ghana Police Service to intensify investigations to apprehend the driver responsible for the crash and bring them to justice. He also urged the Health Committee to inspect emergency units, review triage logs and duty rosters, determine whether protocols were breached, and recommend sanctions or prosecutions where necessary.
“If misconduct is found, sanctions must follow. If negligence is proven, prosecution must follow,” he stressed.
Commenting on the statement, Deputy Minister for Health, Dr. Grace Ayensu, described the incident as a ‘never event’ in medical practice.
“Under no circumstance should a human being die this way,” she said, confirming that the Ministry of Health has also set up a committee to investigate the matter and that preliminary inquiries are ongoing. She also revealed that some staff at Korle-Bu had been interdicted pending investigations.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga shared a personal experience to stress the importance of effective emergency healthcare. He recalled surviving a serious accident and rushed to Tamale Hospital, treated promptly, and received life-saving care.
He stressed that unlike his experience, the recent victim was shuttled from hospital to hospital without urgent attention – a reflection of systemic failure and a lack of compassion.
Mr. Ayariga urged Parliament to ensure accountability, warning that failure to act decisively now would encourage future negligence. He emphasised that the matter, while not partisan, is inherently political, as elected leaders are ultimately responsible for healthcare infrastructure, staffing, and budgeting.
He extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and expressed Parliament’s shame and embarrassment over the conduct of these medical personnel, reaffirming the House’s duty to defend the lives, rights, and interests of all citizens.