I don’t know why we are not incensed about the grounded 48 ambulances at the State House.

Last month, when I wrote about the same issue, I was very hypothetical because there was not much information as to why the ambulances were “relaxing”- the word I used - at the State House.

After the government’s response, I’m convinced that the vehicles have been deliberately grounded because of selfish intents of the ruling government. You must be angry because the action by the government smells of absolute carelessness.

Government’s responds

Responding to questions regarding the delayed use of the ambulances, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, Member of Parliament for Adentan Constituency and Communications Director for the ruling New Patriotic Party, indicated that the installation of tracking devices is one of the reasons the ambulances have been grounded.

Other sources within the government have supported this claim and have added that the state is now training paramedics who will manage the ambulances.

Also, they say locations “are being set up” in the constituencies to “receive” the ambulances.

Scrutiny of C=claims.

According to WE TRACK 24/7, a vehicle tracking and fleet management company “Installations of vehicle tracking equipment typically take about 1 hour.”  After close to two months since the ambulances arrived, our government is telling us that it is still installing tracking devices.

Government also suggests that paramedics are being trained before the ambulances can be distributed. Incredible. The administration must not forget that under the immediate-past government 288 paramedics were passed out by the Paramedics and Emergency Care Training School (PECTS), Nkenkaaso in the Ashanti Region. Of course the past government’s attempt to solve this issue was just another attempt to squeeze the procurement bag of its shrinking juice.

But the substantive issue is that they passed out paramedics- 288 of them. 288 paramedics can definitely manage 98 ambulances.  

Or are those paramedics members of the opposition so new paramedics must be trained?

Also the defense that the constituencies need to prepare “points” to “receive” these ambulances is pure and categorical satire. The government is in essence telling us that the district hospitals in this country cannot find spaces to keep these vehicles. Even if that is to be believed, did the government not think about this in the process of procuring the ambulances?

Our government also wants us to accept that the ambulances have been halted because of registration issues. It could be true but I also know that the Driver and Vehicle License Authority is not as clogged as it was. If these ambulances were V8s for our politicians will they not be swiftly insured with tax payer’s monies? So why can’t we ensure that all the paper works are fleetly done? If that is the actual problem anyway.

I, therefore, contend that the government is just waiting to grandstand about the arrival of the ambulances. At whose expense? You and I. They expect 550,000 Ghanaians to share an ambulance. They also expect us to tolerate their deliberate inertia.

And we, the people who make the existence of the ruling elite relevant, are not showing contempt at this ridiculous and callous act. Our democratic system does not and will never favour apathetic citizens.

Unless we cry out for what is due us, what is ours will be used against us.

A few months ago, the government halted a decision to expand Parliament House. The contempt we exhibited together made them realise that we will not countenance that decision. But we have gone back to sleep. An opportunity for them to tell us that it is alright for the ambulances to be kept until next year before they are released.

How many road accidents are going to occur as Christmas approaches? How many lives will be lost? How many lives can be saved?

Also, sad, is the treatment of this issue by the media. The health of ordinary Ghanaians must be given prominent attention. All it will take is a week of concerted effort to demand the immediate processing and distribution of these ambulances by all well-meaning media outlets.