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Effia Nkwanta to become teaching hospital
The Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH) at Sekondi in the Western Region will soon receive medical students from the University of Cape Coast to make the hospital a full-fledged Teaching Hospital to churn out more medical doctors.
In this light ENRH has prepared itself by acquiring many hospital equipment for the laboratories and other basic departments to commence medical studies.
The Medical Director of ENRH, Dr. Joseph Kojo Tambil disclosed this at the maiden Open Day celebration of the hospital recentlyt on the theme “Leave no One’s Health behind: Invest in Health Systems for all”.
He said the hospital administration had seen it to be prudent to train medical students to meet the rising need of medical doctors in the region and beyond.
He said the community relations of the hospital and the communities surrounding had improved tremendously because more attention was now given to clients in terms of services by staff of ENRH than the previous times.
He disclosed that management of tuberculosis (TB) in the hospital was one of the best in the country if not the best due to more attention coupled with frequent monitoring and visitation to such patients.
Dr Tambil regretted that the health facility had become a dumping place for all unidentified dead bodies making the mortuary to be full always adding “not less than 20 unidentified dead bodies are dumped at the facility every month”.
He said the worse scenario was the fee the Environmental Department of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly charged before the burial of these unidentified bodies.
He appealed to the Western Regional Minister, Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah to see to it that the charge imposed by STMA was scrapped because it was a huge burden on the hospital.
The medical director said before the current management took over there was a big gap between management and the other staff that created much disrespect and mistrust from the juniorstaff to the seniors.
He complained about dilapidated buildings which for decades had not seen any renovation especially staff accommodation where rent was paid but not given to the hospital for the maintenance of the buildings.
Dr Tambil said the hospital had received a Maxillofacial surgeon who would do marvellous work including complex jaw reconstruction, tumour removal and pallet surgery.
He re-emphasized the need for the Western Regional Health Directorate, the Coordinating Council to help management in pushing for the payment of some of the bills especially money used for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, patients.
The chairperson of the planning committee, Dr. Nana Esi Gaisie in her remarks said now that the world was marking the universal health access day, all hospitals must make the facilities an open arena and secured for people to patronise easily for proper health care.
From Peter Gbambila, Effia Nkwanta
Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, says more than 15,000 Ghanaian workers have lost their jobs following a directive issued by the Chief of Staff.
According to him, the dismissals affected not only people employed after the 2024 general elections, as stated in the directive, but also workers who had been lawfully employed as far back as 2017.
Raising the issue on the floor of Parliament, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the Minority uncovered evidence showing serious excesses in the implementation of the directive.
“We became aware that although the letter was specific to those recruited after the 2024 elections, Ghanaian youth who were employed as far back as 2017 were all dismissed from their lawful employment,” he said.
He explained that the Minority filed a motion in Parliament to investigate the matter, which was admitted by the Speaker. However, the process has faced several delays.
According to him, the Majority Leader raised a preliminary objection to the motion, which was upheld by the First Deputy Speaker. The Minority later filed a motion for review under the rules of Parliament, which was also admitted.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the review motion was moved by him and seconded by the Member of Parliament for Ofoasi- Ayirebi, while the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor , began the debate on behalf of the Majority side.
He noted that the House was expected to continue the debate the following Tuesday to allow the Speaker to rule on the matter, but this has not happened due to other parliamentary business.
“Several times the motion appeared on the Order Paper, but we could not take it,” he stated.
The Minority Leader stressed that the delay is having serious consequences for affected workers and their families.
“This is a matter that affects the livelihood of Ghanaians. We have in excess of 15,000 Ghanaian youths affected by this directive, and they are still at home,” he said.
He added that the Minister for Employment has acknowledged receiving petitions on the issue and has initiated investigations, but said that should not stop Parliament from carrying out its own inquiry.
“These Ghanaian youths are sitting at home. Their wives, their extended families are all affected. It has been over a year, and they are not getting any justice,” he added.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin appealed to the Leader of Government Business to ensure that the motion is included in Parliament’s report and debated to allow the House to make a final decision on the matter.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Director of Communications for the United Party, Solomon Owusu, has expressed strong disappointment following the Supreme Court decision to quash the rerun of the Kpandai parliamentary election.
Mr Owusu made his views known while reacting to the ruling, stressing that he would feel deeply disappointed if he were in the position of Matthew Nyindam, the current Member of Parliament for Kpandai.
He explained that the High Court had earlier examined the case in detail and arrived at a clear determination on the matter.
According to him, the High Court found that the election was compromised and that rigging took place with the involvement of the Electoral Commission.
Mr Owusu pointed out that when the New Patriotic Party moved the case to the Supreme Court, it did not challenge the substance of the High Court findings.
He stated that the appeal was based purely on a point of law, arguing that the National Democratic Congress was time barred when it went to court, and not that the alleged rigging did not occur.
In his view, this means that Mr Nyindam remains in Parliament through an election process that did not reflect the true will of the people of Kpandai.
Mr Owusu noted that this was why he had expected a rerun of the election, to allow the MP to return to the constituency and properly establish his authority through the ballot.
He explained that a rerun would have given Mr Nyindam the opportunity to prove that he genuinely won the 2024 parliamentary election.
With the rerun now quashed, Mr Owusu questioned how the MP could celebrate or take pride in the court outcome.
He stressed that he would no longer take contributions made by Mr Nyindam in Parliament seriously, as the legitimacy of his mandate remains questionable in his view.
Mr Owusu further argued that the Supreme Court decision has shortchanged the people of Kpandai.
He described the ruling as unfair to voters who woke up early on election day, queued patiently, and voted for a candidate of their choice, only for their will to be undermined.
According to him, the outcome raises serious concerns about justice, electoral credibility, and respect for the democratic rights of the people.
By: Jacob Aggrey
