Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has admitted that the party failed to complete and operationalise the Afari Military Hospital in the Ashanti Region despite spending eight years in government.

The former Assin Central Member of Parliament, who previously chaired Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, said the project remained unfinished throughout the NPP’s administration, and they failed to do what was necessary to bring the facility into full operation.

Speaking to the media after donating a pickup truck and 15 motorcycles to the Ghana Police Service at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters on Tuesday, June 16, Kennedy Agyapong said the issue must be viewed beyond political party lines because the focus should be on Ghana’s development.

According to him, the Afari Military Hospital project had its foundation laid during the administration of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, with major construction works carried out under a subsequent NDC government before the NPP inherited the project.

He, however, said the NPP failed to complete the project during its eight years in office despite having the opportunity to do so.

“This hospital was started by President John Agyekum Kufuor. The locations and all those things. NDC came to start it, and when we came, I am NPP, and I am telling you the gospel truth. I was the chairman for Defence and Interior, and we didn’t do anything,” he said.

Kennedy Agyapong criticised what he described as attempts to put the blame solely on the current NDC administration, which has been in office for about 15 months, insisting that the NPP also had enough time to address the matter.

“We were there for eight years, and we didn’t do it,” he said. “NDC started it. Why didn’t you complete it? You were there for eight years and didn’t complete it. When somebody comes for 15 months, then you have a problem.”

The former lawmaker also disclosed that attempts by the Defence and Interior Committee to inspect the facility while he was chairman did not materialise.

“When we decided to go and inspect Afari, they stopped us. I heard somebody saying the Afari Hospital has been there for 15 months, but we were there for eight years and didn’t do it,” he added.

Kennedy Agyapong said political leaders must be willing to acknowledge failures and put national interest ahead of party loyalty, stressing that Ghana’s development should not be sacrificed for partisan arguments.

“We should criticise NPP and NDC. That’s the only way to go,” he said. “We should love our nation and stop playing politics with everything.”

The Afari Military Hospital project, located in the Ashanti Region, has remained at the centre of public debate, with concerns raised about delays in completing and operationalising a facility expected to serve both military personnel and civilians.