General News of Monday, 21 August 2017

Source: peacefmonline.com

KATH Administrator hot as group calls for his removal

File photo File photo

The Head of Administration at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Mr. George Tetteh, has come under intense pressure following calls by some concerned groups for his removal from post.

The nation's second biggest health facility is said to be embroiled in massive corruption and inefficiencies, a situation which has been attributed to the backdoor promotion of Mr. Tetteh to the position after his predecessor was jettisoned under bizarre circumstances.

Mr. Tetteh, said to be a polling station executive member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was controversially promoted to head the KATH Administration in 2015 by then NDC-dominated board of the hospital after the main Administrator at the time, Mr. Offeh-Gyimah, asked for a short medical leave.

His appointment drew loud opposition from senior staff of the hospital but Mr. Tetteh, with the support of his party which was in power at the time, survived the storm.

However, his reign has seen several mishaps and infractions at the facility, including alleged corrupt deals.

Recently, a leading member of the ruling NPP and current Ambassador to South Africa, Mr. George Ayisi Boateng, raised alarm about several alleged infractions and financial misappropriations, including alleged destruction of evidential documents implicating some leading figures in the hospital.

Against this background, The Youth Platform For Justice and Accountability (YPJA) has added its voice to the numerous calls for the overhaul of the management of the hospital in order to improve efficiency at the facility.

In a release issued and signed by its Chairman, Evans Opoku Manu and Secretary, Joseph Hanson, the group called for investigations into circumstances under which Mr. Offeh-Gyimah was removed and replaced with Mr. George Tetteh.

According to them, prior to his appointment, Mr. Tetteh was not qualified to hold such a sensitive position.

They averred that his appointment was based on his strong affiliation to the then ruling NDC and not based on competence or merit.

The YPJA has therefore given Government and the Ministry of Health a two-week ultimatum to commence an investigation into the affairs of Mr. George Tetteh and the entire KATH management in order to unravel the numerous corrupt practices at the hospital.