The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has urged the government to terminate its agreement with Zipline, arguing that the drone-based delivery of essential medical supplies has become an unnecessary drain on national resources.
His remarks follow a request from the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who asked the Leader of Government Business to summon the Health Minister next week to brief Parliament on efforts to restore operations at three Zipline centres currently closed due to the government’s outstanding GH₵175 million debt.
Addressing Parliament, Mahama Ayariga insisted that the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is fully capable of acquiring and operating its own drones to supply critical medicines to hard-to-reach communities.
“It’s a total waste of money. The most expensive drones don’t even go beyond twenty thousand dollars. By now, we would have had drones for every district in this country managed by the Ghana Health Service. Let’s do a total calculation on how much money we have wasted on this Zipline contract,” he said.
He further stressed his position, saying, “I call for a cancellation of the contract. The contract should be cancelled. The Ghana Health Service should develop its own in-house capacity to deliver the blood through its own drones.”
Three distribution centres of Zipline, the medical drone delivery service, will reportedly begin shutting down operations due to a lack of funds and delayed government payments.
Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, the Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Health Committee and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Effiduase-Asokore, told Parliament during the 2026 Budget debate that the centres at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region, Krachi in the Volta Region, and Anum in the Eastern Region would cease operations beginning November 25, 2025.
Dr Afriye further claimed that the government had disbursed only GH¢4.5 billion to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), contrary to the GH¢7.5 billion it had announced.
Responding to the claims, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health and MP for Juaboso, rejected the assertions.
He said the government had indeed paid GH¢7.5 billion into the NHIF to ensure the prompt settlement of debt claims to Zipline service providers.
