The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amotia Ofori Panin has appealed to the striking medical doctors to return to the medical wards in the supreme interest of “innocent and defenseless children and ordinary citizens” of the country.
[contextly_sidebar id=”kka53bCiv88G0CO2oBKGdbmULj54liRS”]The Okyenhene urged the doctors to exercise restraint, be accommodating and ensure a peaceful resolution of their differences with government and not to allow themselves to be carried away by the provocative comments of government communicators.
The doctors on Friday extended to two weeks, their strike demanding conditions of service.
The Okyenhene made the appeal when he delivered the keynote address at the 15th Annual Public Lecture of the Ghana Medical Association in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region.
The theme for the lectures was “galamsey in Ghana and its health implications.”
Osagyefo Amotia Ofori Panin observed, the over dependence of various governments on direct foreign investment into the extractive industry for the payment of foreign debts and to generate revenue had lead to the institution of laws and policies that had failed to ensure sustainable exploitation of the natural resources of the country.
He called for the passage into law legislations that would ensure the confiscation of all equipment used in illegal mining and the prosecution of those involved.
The Okyenhene suggested the promotion of traditional forms of environmental protection like the banning of people from farming close to rivers, because it is reserve as a place for the river deity and the family and tradition norms that ban people from farming on certain days of the week and entering some forest reserves because of their spiritual significance.
He called for the training of small scale miners and those engaged in galamsey (small scale mining) in modern mining skills to empower them to engage in responsible mining .
Dr Charity Sarpong, Eastern Regional Director of Health Services observed that, the topic of the lecture is an indication that, medical doctors are not always interested in the curative aspects of health but also all other things that affect the health of the society.
Dr Kwabena Opoku-Adusei, President of the GMA assured that, the association would continue to fulfill its social contract with Ghanaians.
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Source: GNA