30 controversial ambulances handed over to National Security for refurbishment
Thirty ambulances that have remained at the Ghana Air Force Base at Burma Camp in Accra amid a long-running controversy over their suitability for emergency medical services have been handed over to National Security for refurbishment.
The Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with the National Ambulance Service (NAS), transferred the vehicles to National Security at the weekend as part of efforts to restore them to operational use and integrate them into the national emergency response fleet.
The vehicles were procured under a contract signed in 2012 at an estimated cost of €3.5 million and formed part of an initial batch of 200 vehicles intended to improve ambulance services across the country.
However, after their arrival, concerns were raised about their condition and suitability for use as ambulances.
Former Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, who assumed office in 2017, said the vehicles lacked essential medical equipment and safety features. He later testified in court that the vehicles were defective and were essentially improperly fitted Sprinter buses rather than fully equipped ambulances.
His predecessor, Alex Segbefia, disputed that position, arguing that the vehicles could have been made fit for purpose if the necessary accessories had been cleared from the Tema Port and installed.
The controversy subsequently became part of a legal case pursued by the Attorney-General.
According to the National Ambulance Service, the latest handover follows legal clearance from the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, which authorised the Ministry of Health to retrieve and assess the vehicles for possible operational use.
In a statement issued on Saturday, August 15, 2026, the NAS said an initial assessment had been conducted by the State Transport Company (STC), with further technical inspections expected to determine the roadworthiness of the vehicles and the extent of refurbishment required.
The Service said the vehicles would not be deployed until they had undergone the necessary refurbishment and technical and roadworthiness assessments.
The initiative, according to the NAS, forms part of the government’s efforts to recover and restore available emergency response assets, strengthen the operational capacity of the National Ambulance Service and improve access to timely pre-hospital emergency care across the country.
At the handover ceremony were the Legal Adviser to the Minister for Health, Abubakar Mutiu-Rahaman; Board Chairman of the National Ambulance Service and Bremanhene, Nana Baffour Kotei Kutin Sraman II; Chief Executive Officer of NAS, Dr George Kojo Owusu; as well as representatives of National Security and the Ghana Armed Forces.
The keys to the 30 vehicles were formally presented to a representative of National Security, who will oversee the refurbishment process.
The NAS said that once refurbished and certified for use, the ambulances are expected to significantly increase the national emergency response fleet and improve the Service’s ability to respond to medical emergencies and transport patients safely and promptly.