A proposal by Minority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, for the establishment of a dedicated hospital for Members of Parliament (MPs) and the construction of a new parliamentary chamber has been met with opposition from MP for Bawku Central and Majority leader, Mahama Ayariga.

The issue arose during the swearing-in of the Parliamentary Service Board on Monday, March 17, where Afenyo-Markin suggested that lawmakers and Parliament as a whole needed a specialised healthcare facility to cater to their medical needs.

"The speaker, there are two things that I look forward to seeing happen in the ninth government. One, a hospital for parliament. If it does happen in accordance with your vision, it will be a great aspect. We are in the political class. Our health issues are to be known within certain confines. Because of confidentiality at all people travel abroad at great causes for medical support," he explained.

He further revived the debate on the need for a new parliamentary chamber, arguing that both initiatives were necessary to improve the working conditions of MPs.

However, Mahama Ayariga rejected the proposals, citing Ghana’s struggling economy as a reason why such projects would be unjustifiable at this time.

He insisted that given the pressing economic challenges facing the country, a new chamber and a hospital for MPs were not priorities.

Mahama Ayariga has aggressively rejected calls by Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin for construction of a new chamber and hospital for Parliament #JoyNews pic.twitter.com/dMuSHBvbRs

— Joy 99.7 FM (@Joy997FM) March 17, 2025

"I definitely don't believe that a hospital is the priority of this Parliament, or should be the priority of this Parliament. Mr. Speaker, we are very close to the Ridge Hospital, which I personally believe is adequate to provide the services that staff here will need. And I don't believe that at this stage in the finances of this country, we should have the political class building a hospital, especially for itself, and not wanting to mingle with ordinary Ghanaians and the facilities that they use.

"So I totally reject a proposal to construct a hospital for Parliament. We have a clinic which is in keeping with what most establishments have. And I believe that if anything at all, we should just improve upon the facilities and services of our clinic that provide basic services and when you need serious medical care, you can use the facilities at the Ridge Hospital. Korle Bu is not too far away from here."

Mr Afenyo-Markin’s call for a new chamber reignited an old debate that was widely criticised by the public when it was first proposed in 2019.

At the time, citizens and civil society groups vehemently opposed the idea, arguing that Parliament should focus on pressing national issues rather than self-serving infrastructure projects.