The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ada West, Adzoteye Lawer Akrofi, has denied ownership of the ambulance that was seen in a video, which has been widely circulated on social media, being loaded with bags of cement.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Wednesday, the Head of Public Relations at the National Ambulance Service, Simmons Yussif Kewura, indicated that the ambulance in question belonged to the Sege Constituency and was procured under the ‘One Constituency One Ambulance’ Initiative.
However, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show today, the Ada West DCE told host, Bernard Avle, that the ambulance designated to the Sege Constituency was at post on the said day, and hence, the one seen in the video could not possibly belong to his district capital.
“I have just one ambulance. I am stating categorically that my ambulance number is GV 677-19. So the question of GV 537-20 doesn’t come in at all. The claim that that ambulance belongs to [my district] is a lie.”
“I got it on the 18th of June 2020. The ambulance is currently in good shape. When the President launched the ambulances last year, there were about 307 of them, and we were mandated, as District Chief Executives, to find places for them. Mine was delivered on June 18, 2020.”
In a video that has gone viral on social media, a seemingly new ambulance, with registration number GV 537-20, is seen being loaded with bags of cement by some young men.
The video was recorded by a concerned citizen, who wished to remain anonymous, according to Citi News’ Central Regional Correspondent, Calvis Tetteh.
The development sparked a huge debate on social media, with many criticising the government for failing to ensure that the ambulance was being used for the purpose it was intended for.
The incident occurred on March 26, 2021, but the Ambulance Service’s attention was drawn to the development only when the video went viral on social media.
The Ambulance Service consequently dispatched some officers to look into the matter.