The Member of Parliament for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyini has described the arrest of final-year Pharmacy student of the University of Ghana, Reginald Sakyi Brown, as a show of intolerance on the part of government.
Sakyi Brown was arrested on Wednesday for peacefully protesting the delays in opening the University of Ghana Medical Centre.
Speaking on the Morning Starr on Friday, June 1, Suhuyini told Francis Abban that Sakyi Brown’s arrest was uncalled for and that he should be commended for proving to be a citizen and not a spectator.
“He’s proven that he is a citizen rather than being a spectator. I commend him for his show of courage. I think there’s the need to commend Reginald Sakyi – Brown for embarking on that campaign to have UGMC opened”.
According to Mr. Suhuyini, the level of intolerance by state institutions should be discouraged.
“Talking of intolerance, a celebrated journalist like Anas Aremeyaw Anas is facing some state sponsored threats, Franklin Cudjoe of IMANI also facing similar threats and a couple of others too. When people are acting as citizens we should not threaten them”.
Sakyi-Brown, who is on a campaign to have the controversial UG Medical Centre opened for operation raised a placard bearing the inscription “Open UGMC Now” at a sod cutting event at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital being addressed by the first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo.
The $217 million University of Ghana medical centre which was constructed by the Mahama administration has remained closed since its completion over a year ago. A tussle between the University Authorities and the Ministry of health over who has the right to manage the facility has protracted the opening of the facility.
The 650-bed facility is the first of its kind in West Africa and second to only few hospitals in South Africa. The then Government secured a loan facility from Harpo Alim Bank of Israel for the project
Following Reginald’s action government has set up an Interim Board to test-run the equipment at the University of Ghana Medical Centre and operationalise the facility with immediate effect.
Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM
