The Minority Caucus in Parliament has refuted suggestions that the former previous administration left the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) burdened with debt, maintaining instead that the scheme is in surplus to the tune of approximately ₵1 billion.

At a media briefing in Parliament, the Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore and Ranking Member on the Health Committee, Nana Afriyie Ayew, described claims of inherited liabilities as false and misleading.

According to him documents available to the Minority indicate that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) remains financially sound, arguing that the previous administration handed over the scheme with a healthy cash position.

He indicated that ₵2.4 billion earlier described as arrears had already been cleared through three separate disbursements made by the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department. He stressed that this settlement contradicts assertions that the current managers took over a financially distressed institution.

Mr. Afriyie Ayew further explained that the available funds were applied to clear outstanding claims from healthcare providers covering November through February, a move he said helped maintain uninterrupted service delivery under the scheme.

He cautioned against turning the country’s health insurance programme into a political battleground, warning that such actions risk eroding public trust.

Describing the NHIS as a critical pillar of Ghana’s social protection framework, he urged stakeholders to focus on transparency and collaboration rather than partisan debate.

The Minority, he added, remains open to dialogue to clarify the authority’s financial standing and to help protect the long-term viability of the scheme.