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The Minority in Parliament says the previous administration led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo left a positive financial balance to support the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), rejecting claims that the scheme was burdened with outstanding debts.
According to the caucus, the former government left about GH¢1 billion to settle claims owed to healthcare service providers across the country.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, March 10, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Ayew Afriyie, said the current management of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) did not inherit any debt from the previous administration.
He explained that debts that had accumulated between 2021 and 2023 had already been cleared before the change in government.
“The current NHIA executives or management did not inherit any debt from the previous management. As of 2023, there was a debt of GH¢2.4 billion covering 2021, 2022 and 2023. That amount was paid in three tranches of GH¢800 million each by the then Controller and Accountant-General,” he said.
Dr Afriyie added that the payments were publicly known and urged stakeholders to avoid politicising issues related to the national health insurance scheme.
“This is not anything done in secret. For that matter, let us put a stop to the over-politicisation of health insurance issues,” he stated.
He further argued that the existence of the GH¢1 billion balance contradicts claims that the NHIA was left with debts.
“How would they say there was debt when they were left with a positive balance of GH¢1 billion, which they used to pay claims for November, December, January and February?” he said.
According to him, the previous New Patriotic Party administration left the NHIA in a financially stable position.
“We will continue to let Ghanaians know that the previous NPP government left the NHIA with a positive balance. It has not even happened before, and that money was used to pay claims for November, December, January and February,” he added.
