In protest of the interdiction of the President of the Korle Bu Senior Staff Association, Charles Ofei Palm, members of the association this morning embarked on a peaceful march at the premises of the hospital to present a petition demanding the reinstatement of their president.
Charles Offei Palm was interdicted by the management of the hospital; which explained that he flouted the hospital’s media policy by granting an interview to an Accra based radio station.
Addressing his colleagues before they proceed on their march, The General Secretary of KOSSA, James Clifford Oblitey, justified the comments that led Ofei Palm’s interdiction even citing the whistleblower act in defense of the KOSSA president.
“Rest assured the action that we have taken is on course. Nobody can infringe on our rights. There is a freedom of speech. The whistleblower act also mandates every individual, every employee to disclose anything that he or she deems that will have effect on his organisation.”
Mr Oblitey was also adamant the KOSSA president had done nothing wrong because he only spoke about issues affecting the hospital.
“The person has done nothing wrong than to grant interviews. Moreover the issues that he touches on are issues that are bothering the hospital so he has never peddled any falsehood.”
After converging on the administrative block and waiting for about 15 minutes, no management member or a representative turned up to receive the KOSSA petition.
It took a threat from the leaders of KOSSA to disclose contents of their letter to the media, before the Director of Administration, Mr. Nurudeen Kombian showed up to receive the petition.
The Association gave management a 48 hour ultimatum to withdraw the interdiction.
Their petition argued that Mr Ofei Palm spoke in his capacity as the president of KOSSA and not as an employee of the hospital
“Mr Charles Ofei Palm granted that interview in the capacity of the president of the association and was addressed by the host of the program as such. He never spoke in a capacity as the employee’s specialist pharmacist but as president of KOSSA since the interview was in relation to the recent matters raised by KOSSA and the current happenings.”
Meanwhile, receiving the petition on behalf of the administration, Mr. Kombian however indicated that it would be impossible for the administration to act within the timeline given.
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By Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana