Return ‘missing’ cars in two weeks else… - Group to GHS
In a statement by the group, they stated that the explanation given by the Director of Ghana Health Service Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira on the where about of the five vehicles was not acceptable.
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They argue that the vehicles went missing after the former Regional Health Director Dr Kuoko Awoonor Williams handed over to his successor Dr Kofi Issah.
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They, therefore, demand that all five vehicles are returned to the Regional Directorate in two weeks.
Below is full Press Statement:
BONABOTO wishes to register its strongest protest and displeasure at the way and manner the authorities of the Ghana Health Service are handling the issue of the five missing vehicles (One Pajero, one VW Passat Saloon Car, One Toyota Land Cruiser and two Pickups) from the Upper East Regional Directorate of the Service. BONABOTO’s information is that the erstwhile Regional Director, Dr. Kouko Awoonor, when he reluctantly left on transfer, took with him five office vehicles belonging to the Upper East Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service.
While BONABOTO appreciates the contribution of Dr. Awoonor to improved health care delivery in the Region during his tenure, we are not only surprised but shocked at this last attempt to dent his own image by this action. BONABOTO, therefore, calls on the Director General, in particular, and the Government, in general, to as a matter of urgency and in the interest of justice and fairness to the people of the Upper East Region, ensure the immediate return of the vehicles to the region.
BONABOTO’s attention was drawn to this issue somewhere in April this year and as normal of our procedure, the Association sought to confirm the veracity or otherwise of the information from the Regional Directorate which confirmed it. At the time, the current Regional Director explained that he had initiated the administrative complaints procedure to establish the whereabouts of the missing vehicles and edged BONABOTO to exercise restraint while he followed due process on the issue.
Having felt that the due process was taking a rather long time, BONABOTO in May, this year, made an official complaint to the BNI to help investigate and possibly ensure the return of the said “lost” five vehicles to the Region. As at today, we have not heard anything from the BNI. Furthermore, the Regional Director, in his yearly review meeting, reiterated his frustrations in trying to retrieve the vehicles.
We are saddened by the fact that, the Director General, instead of taking steps to ensure the return of the vehicles, appears to be rather condoning with the erstwhile Regional Director and helping to deprive the Upper East Regional Directorate of the vehicles by providing the lame excuse that the vehicles have been re-assigned to two other regions while retaining some in Accra for Dr. Awoonor’s use. We wish to emphasize that there is no documentation or justification for this so-called reassignment.
We find it extremely strange and defying ordinary logic that the Director General of GHS, will order as he claims, the movement of two of the vehicles to Accra for Dr. Awoonor’s official use when the incumbent Regional Director has no vehicle for his official duties in the region. Again, we cannot logically reconcile how the two pickups and the Pajaro were sent to the Northern and Volta regions when three districts in the Upper East Region (Bulsa North, Bulsa South Garu and Bawku West districts) have no vehicle for effective and efficient health delivery.
BONABOTO demands answers for the following questions:
BONABOTO is concerned that the Director General of Ghana Health Service, in particular, and the Service in general, are trying to cripple the already wobbling health delivery system in the Upper East Region by trying fruitlessly to cover up for this illegality.
We call on the Government and the Director General to ensure that all the five vehicles return to the Region within two weeks, otherwise we will advise ourselves.
Mr. Francis Atintono, Regional Chairman UE
Mr. Stanley Akamiri Abopaam, UE Regional PRO
Mr. Vitus Azeem, National President
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