Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye (L) and Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson
The Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, has called on the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to apologise for what he describes as misleading claims about the misuse of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) funds.
Speaking with the media in Parliament on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, Dr. Ayew Afriye insisted that statutory allocations to the NHIA are approved by Parliament, with input from both the Majority and Minority, making it difficult for the funds to be misused without scrutiny.
“They are passing the buck, and I want the Minister of Finance to admit and apologize to the people of this country that the promise they made to uncap cannot be fulfilled. In this budget, we expect nothing less than a full allocation of what was received in the Health Fund to the NHIA.
“Now, if he talks about misuse, I disagree with that,” he stated.
Dr. Afriye continued, “You know, the Finance Minister is a very smart young politician, intelligent, and I will not take his words for granted when he talks about misuse. This is a statutory allocation, and it is done here in Parliament, unlike other state agencies whose budgets are approved by the Ministry of Finance. We approve NHIA’s budget in Parliament. It is a joint effort of both parties which is the Majority and the Minority. So, if there has been misuse, we have been sitting here for several years approving the budget,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Finance Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has raised critical concerns about the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), citing financial shortfalls and misuse of resources as major challenges affecting its efficiency.
Speaking at the opening session of the National Economic Dialogue on Monday, March 3, 2025, he noted that the problems with the NHIS are not only financial but also related to the diversion of resources.
“The National Health Insurance Scheme faces financial shortfalls and also misuse of resources,” he stated.
JKB/MA
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