Former Medical Director of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital) and Member of Parliament for Garu, Dr. Thomas Anabah, has dismissed suggestions that the recent removal of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) from key teaching hospitals by the Mahama administration is politically motivated.
The Mahama government recently relieved the CEOs of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital of their duties, appointing new leadership in their place.
Responding to allegations of political vindictiveness in an interview on Citi Eyewitness News on Tuesday, May 13, Dr. Anabah stated:
“I wouldn’t say it is vindictive. If a minister fires you and you think it is not right, you have the same means as I had.”
Dr. Anabah, who was controversially removed from Ridge Hospital during the previous administration, acknowledged that political dynamics often influence public sector appointments. However, he stressed that the recent dismissals were based on substantive concerns.
Citing the Tamale Teaching Hospital as an example, he explained: “Tamale, there was a case about a patient who unfortunately lost his life because of lack of equipment, per the doctors. And I think it is as a result of that interaction and other issues that the CEO himself said in public.”
He further criticised the handling of the situation, pointing to a lack of leadership on the part of the hospital’s CEO.
“We have teams who have gone to the hospital. We have had annual reports of their performance and the rest. And the Tamale Teaching Hospital—you see the CEO standing before a minister, watching his staff arguing with a minister.
“Even if the minister was wrong, take it that it was a private hospital and the owner comes to speak to you about the debt of the hospital. Even if he is wrong, you have to tell him, ‘Boss, let’s go to the room and talk.’ But he stood there unconcerned.”
Dr. Anabah also took issue with the CEO’s public complaints about basic infrastructure challenges.
“He himself was complaining in the hospital that there is no water. Who should bring water? The minister? No, no. Who is the government there? He, the CEO, is the government there. He has been appointed by the president to handle the hospital. You don’t expect the minister who is representing the president to come there and provide water for you. We have private facilities running the same services and they have water.”
Touching on the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr. Anabah suggested that political affiliations may have played a role in that particular case.
“In Kumasi, there are clear examples of him belonging to another party, even being a member of vetting committees. That is politics. This country—we must all accept that we play politics or we excuse politics in our management.”
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