Go away! Ridge staff to Anaba

Workers at the Ridge Hospital, now Greater Accra Regional Hospital, have welcomed the transfer of Dr Thomas Anaba, the Medical Director.

He was served with his transfer letter on Monday, 15 May and asked to vacate post in two hours. Dr Anaba was appointed amidst controversy on 1 February 2016 by President John Mahama. His appointment was to last till 2020 after which he would have had the option of reapplying to stay on.

Dr Anaba is, however, resisting his transfer. He is demanding to know if the transfer had the blessing of the Public Service Commission and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Council – which is yet to be constituted.

“I don’t exactly know why I have been dismissed,” he said on Wednesday, 17 May, in an interview on the sidelines of the official opening of the refurbished hospital, explaining: “The letter only said they are restructuring Ridge Hospital so for that matter ‘you are being released to go’, which I think is an absurd reason.”

Dr Anaba said: “They said I should hand over immediately, I can’t take two hours to hand over immediately because this is not a small project I was handling.

“I have documents, several things I have to tell the incoming director, however, I’ve requested for explanations why they dismissed me while I’m planning either to hand over or I continue, so, when they bring the response and I’m satisfied, I give them the handing over notes and I leave,” he noted.

But speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Friday May 19, a worker who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that there was tension between the senior management of the hospital when Dr Anaba was the Medical Director.

According to the worker, Dr Anaba created division among the workers, a situation which affected the hospital negatively, therefore, they accept his transfer.

“Dr Anaba should accept the transfer and move away. There was no unity among the top hierarchy of the hospital when he was the Medical Director.

“He tormented some workers and planted spies around to feed him with information, information which were mostly lies and that did not help the hospital, and, so, for most of the workers we accept his transfer.”