Some Ghanaians have expressed outrage over Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin's renewed push for a new parliamentary chamber, condemning it as a reckless and tone-deaf demand amid the country’s challenging economic crisis.

Parliamentary watchdog PN Africa is demanding full accountability for the latest refurbishment of the chamber and other related structures, questioning the necessity when the country has already invested heavily in the existing chamber and other structures there.

There has been a massive push back by a section of Ghanaians against the Minority leader’s renewed call for a new parliamentary chamber, citing economic hardships.

In 2019, a similar proposal was widely rejected as unnecessary. Speaking at the swearing-in of the Parliamentary Service Board, Afenyo-Markin also called for a dedicated hospital for MPs and staff.

The comment is attracting backlash from a cross-section of the public who say it will be a misplaced priority given the current economic conditions.

“I think building a new hospital for the MPs is not necessary, because we have a lot of hospitals in Ghana here. Korle-bu is there, the Legon Hospital is there, and a lot of hospitals are in Ghana. So I want my brother, my father Afenyo-Markin to know that this is not good.”

One individual also argued that the continued reliance on foreign medical facilities by high-ranking officials contrasts with the demand of the Minority leader.

“We all know that these hospitals, they will not even use it. Just recently we know that the former Finance Minister was out of the country for a medical check-up the other day,” he argued.