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Korle Bu boss in
tango with the Minister of health
By Gideon Sackitey, ACCRA
Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng. Does the name ring a
bell? ….. Yes …. Yes …..Yess ..He is the Chief Executive of
the nation’s premiere hospital,
the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital!
I am sure for many with heart
problems the name is well known. But today it is here for
other reasons:
Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng and Major (Rtd) Courage
Quarshigah, Minister of Health are locked up in a
confrontation that is set to shake the New Patriotic Party (NPP)
to its roots.
The latter, who is the policy chief, is demanding the former
to resign his position as Chief Executive to concentrate on
his Presidential candidate of the NPP ambition, which the
latter believes is affecting his output on the job.
According to Major (rtd) Quarshigah it just makes sense for
the Professor to resign just as the other eight cabinet
Ministers have resigned after showing so much interest in
becoming the candidate for the NPP Presidential slot.
It is public knowledge that both Major (Rtd) Courage
Quarshigah and Lepowura M.N.D. Jawula, Chief Director of the
Ministry of Health have not been happy with the medical
practitioner, who is largely credited with Korle-Bu’s
distinguished image from a previous ‘death trap’ accolade.
The two say they are against his continued stay in office
whilst pursuing his personal ambition to become president,
stressing that: “the Professor must bow out of that office
and allow someone who will be dedicated with a 24 hour
attention to man the hospital, which is a major referral
centre.
The Ministry of Health on Friday made a public show of its
desire to see the Professor leave to focus on his ambition
with a public statement.
But speaking to journalists after that, Professor Boateng
has denied he is staying in office in perpetuity.
I have notified my employers and would be leaving in due
time. I have submitted a letter of resignation to the Board
of the Hospital. But it must be clear that the Ministry is
not my employer and I would leave at the right time,” he
said when queried about when he intends to leave the scene.
He thus pleaded with those seeking his departure to exercise
some restraint and he will be off in no time.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng is arguing that the Minister and his
Chief Director are completely ignorant of the laws
that applied to his position.
“I also, more importantly,
believe I am making a positive contribution to the Hospital
and should rather be seen as such
instead been hounded around by people in so-called
positions.
“It appears to me that this is a display of ignorance… I
work more than 24 hours in a day, if I can put it that way.
People are saying that the ministers have resigned, yes
because they are ministers, the Vice President who has
declared to stand … hasn’t resigned his position because it
doesn’t affect him.
“What advantage do I have over the others? That doesn’t mean
that I don’t want to go”. The answer is no! At the
appropriate time I’m going to leave my job as the chief
executive of Korle Bu.”
In drawing a parallel, Professor Frimpong-Boateng charged
the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health of playing
double standards stressing that Mr Jawula also has divided
attention, but has not resigned or has not been asked to
resign.
“Go to the Ministry of Health, the Chief Director, is he not
working on the Local Organizing Committee of CAN 2008? Is he
not aspiring to the presidency of CAF? Why hasn’t he
resigned his position as chief Director to do those things?
Is that not divided attention?”
Indeed the Professor may be right and the Minister and his
Chief Director may also be right. But the truth of the
matter is that we are talking about life here. The absence
of Professor Frimpong-Boateng, the nation’s first and only
heart surgeon, from his desk or operating table could lead
to a loss of life or things not done right while he is on
weeklong campaign trip to the Northern Region for instance.
Besides, from an independent point of view, all aspirants
including the Vice President, notwithstanding what the
constitution says must resign take a leave of absence or
something like that to fully concentrate on their
Presidential ambitions.
The plain truth is that as Chief Executive of Korle Bu, as
Vice-President or Minister, there is a strong likelihood of
the use of incumbency or abuse of office. Indeed, what would
it be like if after visiting Cape Coast or Tamale for an
official assignment, one of these personalities takes
advantage to hold meetings with the party constituency
executives? Who would have been paying for his presence and
up-keep while there?
It is not for nothing that the framers of our constitution
in their wisdom came up with that clause of having to resign
as a public officer before taking political office.
If for nothing at all, let us take it that all participants
need to engage each other from a common ground other than
their own personal characters and image that they have built
for themselves.
Therefore for now, let us all start this game on a clean
sheet, free and fair to all. Otherwise, it is obvious some
people could be starting the game with a clear advantage
over others and this could make the contest highly
acrimonious since those without advantages or have already
resigned could get dirty with their other sitting
colleagues.
Ghanaians are watching ...
Gideon Sackitey, ACCRA, July 28, 2007, Ghanadot.com
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