General News
Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin Demands Emergency Care Law after Engineer’s Death Sparks National Outrage
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has called for the urgent enactment of an Emergency Care Law to address what he described as needless deaths of accident victims at health facilities across the country.
He said such legislation would ensure that negligent health workers are held accountable and prevent what he termed recurring misconduct within the healthcare system.
“There are many examples of these needless deaths in this country, and the same people, when you see them working outside, their attitude is different, which means that there is something wrong here,” he said.
Mr Bagbin made the call following a statement by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, on the death of a 29-year-old engineer, Charles Ammisah, an employee of Promasidor Ghana Limited, who was involved in a hit-and-run accident on February 6 this year.
Speaker orders Parliamentary scrutiny
The Speaker directed Parliament’s Health Committee to examine reports arising from investigations by the Ministry of Health and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and to interrogate their findings thoroughly.
He stressed that the circumstances surrounding Mr Ammisah’s death had become a matter of national concern and must not be left solely to the Ministry of Health or the hospitals involved.
“We have to take control, and we need to enquire further into the matter, and we need to hold people accountable. This is one of the needless deaths we have experienced in this country.
“At the end of the day, the Minister of Health, together with the committee, will have to come before this House and then we can take that opportunity to legislate on the matter and try to bring finality to these needless deaths in our country,” he said.
Mr Ammisah was reportedly involved in a hit-and-run accident at the Circle Overpass in Accra and later died after allegedly being turned away from several health facilities.
Call for a probe and sanctions
Citing Article 103 of the 1992 Constitution, Mr Afenyo-Markin said Parliament had a constitutional duty to investigate matters of public importance and expose inefficiency and maladministration.
He called for the Health Committee to be immediately empowered, under the Speaker’s directive, to summon the Chief Executive Officers and Heads of Emergency Units of the three hospitals involved.
He further urged the committee to demand the production of triage logs, duty rosters and bed occupancy records for the night Mr Ammisah died, and to determine whether the 2018 Ghana Health Service directive prohibiting the denial of emergency care was breached.
“If misconduct is found, sanctions must follow, and if negligence is proven, prosecution must follow.
“If a systematic failure is identified, comprehensive reform must follow,” he said.
Delivering an emotional appeal, he added: “If a young man can be carried from one public hospital to another, refused at every door until he dies, then the social contract is broken and none of us is safe”.
“Not the rich, not the poor, not the politician, not the ordinary man on the streets; the death of Charles Ammisah must force this nation to change, as human life cannot be subordinated to administrative convenience.
“Emergency cannot be optional,l and our hospitals do not have the moral or legal discretion to abandon the dying,” he said.
‘Stop politicising sensitive matters’
While acknowledging the difficult conditions under which many health workers operate, Mr Bagbin insisted that patriotism and professionalism must prevail.
“Patriotic health workers have done that and people have survived through that. So please, the few that are miscreant should not be allowed to at least carry the day since that is what has been happening,” he said.
Responding to concerns about political responsibility for systemic lapses in hospitals, the Speaker urged citizens to demand accountability from elected leaders.
He also cautioned Members of Parliament against politicising the issue, warning that “sometimes you forget you could be the one”.
Systemic failure alleged
Explaining the rationale for a parliamentary probe, the Minority Leader described the incident as a “systemic failure of the state”.
He said Ghana’s healthcare system, which citizens turn to in their most vulnerable moments, had failed Mr Ammisah fatally.
According to him, at 10:32 p.m., the Ghana Ambulance Service received a distress call, mobilised at 10:33 p.m. and arrived on site at 10:35 p.m.
The ambulance team, he said, found the victim bleeding profusely but with a fighting chance of survival. They stabilised him, controlled the haemorrhage and “rushed him to the gates of hope”.
“But hope, Mr Speaker, was met with a closed door,” he said.
He alleged that personnel at the Police Hospital, the Ridge Hospital and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital declined to admit the victim because no beds were available.
“At none of these facilities was triage conducted, and at none were vital signs even taken, and Charles Ammisah remained in that ambulance, his life ebbing away while the institutions established by the Republic of Ghana to save him refused to receive him,” he said.
After approximately 30 minutes, Mr Afenyo-Markin said Mr Ammisah went into cardiac arrest despite efforts by the ambulance crew to save him.
“He was pronounced dead; a life extinguished not by the initial accident but by a systemic failure of the state.
“Mr Speaker, this House must particularly be outraged because this was not merely an accident of circumstances, as it was a direct violation of state policy,” he said.
He recalled that in 2018, under the leadership of the then Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, a directive was issued explicitly prohibiting the denial of emergency care based on bed availability.
“The directive was unequivocal as it mandated immediate triage, immediate stabilisation and the use of alternative surfaces, couches, tables, wheelchairs, and where beds were unavailable,” he said.
“Contrary to the principle of stabilising victims, such a principle was abandoned,” he added.
He also urged the Ghana Police Service to deploy every available investigative resource to track down and apprehend the hit-and-run driver.
Majority Leader demands accountability
Contributing to the debate, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, recounted how he had once survived an accident due to the intervention of health personnel at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
However, he lamented what he described as growing indiscipline, disregard for human life and lack of empathy in some health facilities.
“We must be outraged about a thing like this, and I believe that we must get to the bottom of matters like this and Parliament, at all times, must hold those responsible for such conduct to account,” he said.
The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has convened an emergency meeting following the High Court’s judgment in the case involving the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, over the Samreboi mining matter.
The meeting is being attended by the party’s national leadership, its Flagbearer, and the NPP’s legal team. According to the party, the purpose of the meeting is to conduct a thorough review of the court’s decision and determine the appropriate legal and political steps to take.
In a statement issued on behalf of the party, General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said the NPP is carefully assessing the judgment before announcing its official position.
“The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), together with our Flagbearer and the Party’s legal team, is currently in a meeting to thoroughly review the judgment delivered by the Court… and to determine the appropriate next course of action,” the statement said.
The party indicated that an official communication outlining the outcome of the meeting and any decisions taken will be released in due course.
Justin Kodua Frimpong also appealed to party supporters and members across the country to remain calm and united while the leadership completes its deliberations.
He urged members of the NPP to rally behind the party’s leadership during what he described as a challenging moment, stressing the need for calm, discipline, unity, and an unwavering commitment to the party’s values and interests.
The emergency meeting comes after the High Court delivered its judgment in Chairman Wontumi’s case relating to alleged illegal mining activities on the Samreboi concession, a ruling that has generated significant political interest nationwide.
The National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, popularly known as Nana B, has officially announced his intention to contest for the position of National First Vice Chairman of the party ahead of its upcoming internal elections.
In a statement addressed to party executives, elders, patrons and members of the NPP, Nana B said his decision was inspired by a deep sense of duty and gratitude after serving the party for 26 years in various leadership positions.
According to him, the experience and lessons he has gained over the years have prepared him to help strengthen the party’s structures, reconnect with the grassroots and contribute significantly to the NPP’s mission of returning to power in the 2028 general elections.
Nana B highlighted his extensive political journey within the party, beginning at the polling station level where he served as a Polling Station Agent during the 2000 General Elections in the then Manhyia Constituency. He later became Polling Station Chairman in both the Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Oforikrom constituencies. He also served as a member of the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency Campaign Team and as Communications Officer for the Oforikrom Constituency.
At the regional and youth level, he served as TESCON President at both the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He also served as a member of the Ashanti Regional Communications Team, a member of the 2016 Ashanti Regional Campaign Team, Director of Events and Programmes for the National Youth Wing, National Youth Organiser, and Vice Chairman of the International Young Democrat Union (IYDU).
At the national level, Nana B has served in several strategic roles, including Member of the NPP National Communications Team, Member of the 2020 Presidential Election Petition Legal Team, Member of the 2020 and 2024 National Campaign Teams, National Organiser, Vice Chairman of the 2025 National Delegates Conference Planning Committee, Member of the National Steering Committee, National Executive Committee and National Council.
He stated that his ambition is rooted in the belief that unity, renewed determination and effective leadership will reposition the New Patriotic Party for victory in the 2028 elections.
Nana B appealed to party faithful to support his bid with their prayers, guidance and encouragement as he embarks on what he described as an important journey for the future of the NPP.
He signed the statement as “Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), Next National First Vice Chairman, NPP,” and adopted the campaign slogan “Bold, Fearless and Experienced.“
Dr. Charles Dwamena, the National Treasurer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a candidate for the party’s General Secretary position, has filed a lawsuit against Hubtel Limited at the Commercial Division of the High Court in Kumasi, seeking GH¢5 million in damages over what he describes as a breach of contract, negligence, and unlawful interference with his campaign donation platform.
According to the writ of summons and statement of claim filed in July 2026, Dr. Dwamena, a former Deputy Ambassador of Ghana to China and former Director of Finance and Administration at the NPP headquarters, alleges that Hubtel unlawfully activated a separate USSD shortcode bearing his personal name and later deactivated his official campaign donation shortcode without his knowledge or consent.
The suit states that in January 2026, Dr. Dwamena engaged Hubtel to provide a USSD-based payment platform to collect donations for his campaign for the NPP General Secretary race scheduled for September 18–20, 2026. Hubtel allegedly assigned him the shortcode 7132028#, which was configured by his campaign team and integrated into his official campaign website, www.drdwamenaelections.org.
According to the claim, Dr. Dwamena invested significant time, effort, and financial resources into developing the donation platform, including creating multiple donation categories and payment options for supporters.
The lawsuit states that Hubtel later onboarded his software developer and provided technical support through a dedicated WhatsApp group involving Hubtel officials identified as Ms. Benedicta and Mr. Makafui.
Dr. Dwamena argues that Hubtel was contractually obligated to maintain and operate the campaign shortcode, refrain from activating any other shortcode bearing his name without his approval, avoid linking his campaign platform to any other shortcode, and ensure that his campaign payment infrastructure remained operational.
However, the suit alleges that on April 21, 2026, Stephen Forson, identified as the Deputy Director of Information Technology at the NPP headquarters, requested Hubtel through a WhatsApp integration platform to activate another shortcode, 7142028#.
The plaintiff claims he immediately objected in writing, warning that activating the new shortcode would create confusion because 7132028# had already been assigned exclusively to his campaign. Despite the objection, he alleges Hubtel proceeded to activate the new shortcode.
According to the statement of claim, Hubtel also linked the newly activated shortcode to Dr. Dwamena’s existing campaign platform, causing users making payments through 7142028# to see his name as the designated beneficiary.
The court documents include allegations that payment prompts displayed messages such as “Enter Amount to pay to Dr Charles Dwamena” and payment confirmation screens identifying him as the recipient of transactions.
Dr. Dwamena further claims Hubtel subsequently deactivated his original campaign shortcode, 7132028#, without his authorization, effectively shutting down his official donation platform during a critical stage of his campaign.
He argues that Hubtel’s actions breached both contractual obligations and its duty of care as a licensed payment service provider under Ghana’s Payment Systems and Services Act, 2019 (Act 987).
The plaintiff also accuses Hubtel of failing to implement proper authorization procedures before activating a shortcode bearing his name and of giving priority to instructions from third parties over those of its own client.
Dr. Dwamena says the actions severely damaged his reputation after publications circulated on official NPP WhatsApp platforms and social media allegedly portrayed him as someone involved in diverting party membership dues into his personal account.
He further claims the alleged actions resulted in the loss of campaign donations, damaged his political standing ahead of the NPP National Executive elections, and negatively affected his professional reputation.
As part of the suit, Dr. Dwamena is seeking declarations that Hubtel breached its contract by activating the unauthorized shortcode and deactivating his official campaign shortcode.
He is also asking the court to order Hubtel to immediately restore shortcode 7132028# and permanently deactivate shortcode 7142028#.
Additionally, the plaintiff wants the court to compel Hubtel to provide a full account of all transactions processed through the disputed shortcode and pay over any sums found to be due.
Dr. Dwamena is seeking GH¢5 million in general damages for breach of contract and negligence, exemplary damages for what he describes as Hubtel’s reckless and high-handed conduct, special damages for lost campaign donations and other consequential losses, interest on all monetary awards at the prevailing Bank of Ghana rate, and legal costs.
The case is yet to be heard, and Hubtel is expected to respond to the allegations before the court determines the merits of the claims.
NPP Leadership Holds Emergency Meeting Over Wontumi Court Judgment
Nana B Declares Bid for NPP National First Vice Chairman Position
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