He said they rather want the Minister to come down to meet them at the hospital in the Central Region because they always feel intimidated when such meetings are held in Accra.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5J3wnqns5HKPQjd1eL7wZDs9SC61ERVN”]Mr. Ofori said “we have been there six times and anytime we go, we feel we are being bullied,” Emmanuel Ofori said.

He argued that since the issue started, the Minister has not set foot on the hospital premises; only the executives have been going to Accra, indicating that the environment has not been very conducive for them to express themselves.

“As executives, you go to the Minister’s office and this high powered delegates of directors are there and when you’re speaking, you cannot even speak your mind; whenever you speak in a way, you feel you are being intimidated”, Mr Ofori added.

In an interview with Citi News on Thursday, the PRO of the Ministry of Health, Robert Cudjoe, assured all parties involved that a decision would be taken today over the issue, and that the Ministry would meet the nurses and physician assistants.

But the nurses say they don’t need to be available at that meeting for a decision to be taken.

“Does the Minister need us to sign that the hospital director has been transferred or reshuffled or relieved of his post? He doesn’t need that”.

The striking nurses and physician assistants have maintained that the only remedy to the impasse at the facility is to transfer or remove the Director, Dr Eugene Dordoye.

‘Staff declare strike’

The nurses and physician assistants at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital on Thursday laid down their tools to protest the conduct of the facility’s Medical Director.

According to them, Dr. Dordoye’s presence at the facility posed a danger to their mental and physical health.

They also lamented that the director grossly disrespects them. This is not the first time the staff has embarked on a strike.

In 2017, they declared a strike and threatened to free psychiatric patients if the director was not removed.

‘Human relation courses’

The embattled Medical Director, Eugene Dordoye, is currently undertaking some courses to improve his interpersonal and human relation skills.

This is according to the Mental Health Authority, which has urged the staff to back down on their action, arguing that they will have a legitimate concern if after the courses, Dr. Dordoye persists with his poor human relations.

–

By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We won’t partake in Health Ministry meeting – Angry Ankaful staff appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Ministry hopes to resolve the growing resentment of staff of the facility against their director, Dr. Eugene Dordoye, which has seen the staff declaring a strike for the second time.

[contextly_sidebar id=”sxYM6cSihBtwZKsmmYfVXjTU6PVjdPxa”] The staff say Dr. Dordoye’s presence at the facility poses a danger to their mental and physical health.

Among other things, they accused him of putting them through emotional and psychological stress.

Although the Mental Health Authority has urged the staff to reconsider their decision, they insist they will not return to work until Dr. Dordoye is finally removed from the facility.

The Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Health, Robert Cudjoe, in a Citi News interview said that the emergency meeting today [Friday] will help to bring closure on the matter so as not to further jeopardize mental health care at the facility.

“It is a worrying situation. The minister is calling an emergency meeting [on Friday] to take a decisive decision on this matter. His demeanor and management style is not one that we can write home about. We thought that we can talk to him to be of good behavior. In fact his administration is not bad, he has managed the facility well, there is discipline now. But I think his attitude towards staff is not one of the best,” Robert Cudjoe said.

‘Human relation courses’

The embattled Medical Director, Eugene Dordoye, is currently undertaking some courses to improve his interpersonal and human relation skills.

This is according to Mental Health Authority which has urged the staff to back down on their action, arguing that they will have a legitimate concern if after the courses, Dr. Dordoye persists with his poor human relations.

‘Medical Director will not be removed’

The striking health professionals embarked on an industrial action in 2017 over the same matter, but the government said removing the director will set a bad precedent.

“I don’t think if we go on that tangent, it will help anybody because it may set a precedent which will not help this nation at all. If staff get up and start agitating that they want a director [sacked] and a Minister goes by that decision and takes him away, it is going to set a precedent for others to follow suit,” the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, Robert Cudjoe said in an interview.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Health Ministry holds emergency meeting over Ankaful impasse appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to them, Dr. Dordoye’s presence at the facility posed a danger to their mental and physical health.

[contextly_sidebar id=”UOMbBfGA3mSD4JImZbgmhJPpEqaETv62″]The spokesperson of the Ankaful Psychiatric nurse’s group, Emmanuel Ofori, explained to Citi News that the nurses will resume work only after their director has been sacked.

“Dr. Eugene Dordoye’s presence in the hospital is a psychological stress to us. So we are notifying our immediate supervisor, who is the of the Health Authority CEO to take action. The nurses are not coming back to work until the hospital’s director is removed,” Emmanuel Ofori said.

In 2017, the medical practitioners embarked on a similar action after they gave the government a 3-day ultimatum to fire Dr. Dordoye.

The nurses complained of gross disrespect of staff and mismanagement of the hospital by Dr. Dordoye.

“We are emotionally and psychologically breaking down and we do not have peace of mind to care for our patients. We need peace and sound mind to care for our patients. The Accra people have a saying that ‘when the frog comes out of the water and says the crocodile is dead, you don’t challenge him’. In the same vein, when the psychiatric health workers who provide care to the mentally challenged say they are psychologically and emotionally breaking down, don’t condemn them, take them seriously,” a Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Psychiatric Nurses’ Group, Benjamin Anewotey, told Citi News at the time.

Dr. Dordoye however in a letter to the hospital staff apologized for his approach in trying to reform the hospital and pledged to improve on his management of the facility.

““I apologize unreservedly to all staff of Ankaful psychiatric hospital who have been hurt by my approach, the CEO, MHA [Mental Health Authority], Central Regional Minister, Health Minister and all others affected and I will surely improve and manage the change better than I have done in the past going forward,” he said.

But the hospital staff, who say they have not seen any improvement in the director’s conduct, are calling on the Health Ministry to immediately remove him before they resume work.

–

By: Akosua Ofewaa Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ankaful nurses declare another strike over director’s conduct appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Elmina Police Commander, DSP Entsua Annan, made this known in an interview with Citi News in reaction to claims by the Secretary of the Nurses group at the hospital, Malcom Ali, that the Director is accusing them falsely.

[contextly_sidebar id=”f44gCLE8Uy0t5WQM54yamnF8qEoEMKyU”]The Secretary in an earlier interview with Citi News said, “On the 11^th of this month, the Director lodged a complaint that he received a text message on his phone that was similar to the posters (protesting against him) around the hospital”.

Mr. Ali further indicated that, although the Elmina police invited three nurses over the text message, no statements were taken from them.

Explaining the matter to Citi News, DSP Entsua Annan said, “He (the Director) has reported that people have been sending him (threatening) messages, and he thinks the same person who was opposed to the removal of the posters was the one who might have sent him the text messages”.

The officer has assured that the matter is being investigated.

DSP Entsua Annan also clarified claims by the nurses that the Director is accusing them of being responsible for a robbery attack on the school’s accountant.

“He didn’t allege that any nurse has robbed the accountant. He was entertaining fear that what has happened to the man (the accountant) was because of the strike”, he said.

DSP Annan further added that, “He thinks that the accountant is close to him, so if he has been robbed, then it could be some of the nurses who might have engineered the robbery, but he didn’t say that the nurses were behind the robbery”.

–

By: Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Police probing threats against Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital director appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Despite the growing demand for his removal by the staff, the Ministry says removing him would serve as a bad precedent.

[contextly_sidebar id=”zTmvHwrI6TIQFeNlI94gANSjceqp0qRI”]The Nurses at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital in the Central Region, have laid down their tools, in an attempt to compel the government to remove the Director who they accused of maladministration and showing gross disrespect to subordinates.

Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, Robert Cudjoe, indicated to Citi News that the committee set up to deliberate on the impasse had asked the aggrieved nurses to be patient with their director.

Dr. Dordoye has already in a four-page letter, apologized to the staff, and he admitted that the approach he used in attempting to implement his reforms may have angered the staff.

“What is happening is that, we asked the staff to bear with the director for a while and see what happens with what they have leveled against him. He could probably change the style of his administration,” Mr. Cudjoe said.

Besides this, he added that “I don’t think if we go on that tangent, it will help anybody because it may set a precedent which will not help this nation at all. If staff get up and start agitating that they want a director [sacked] and a Minister goes by that decision and takes him away, it is going to set a precedent for others to follow suit.”

“So we are waiting to see within the next few months if he changes and if not, the appropriate action will be leveled against him or something… three to six months should be okay for him to change for the better,” Mr. Cudjoe said.

On the way forward for the strike, a representative of the nurses declined further comment when Citi News contacted him.

The staff, however said there is a meeting scheduled for today  [Tuesday], to further deliberate on issues.

By: AJ Akuoko Sarpong/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Removing Ankaful Director will set bad precedent – Gov’t appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The staff thus commenced a sit-down strike today [Thursday].

[contextly_sidebar id=”K096cgCTM9Ntm3DrXCE7gv2DqNHLWx0w”]The nurses had earlier given the government a three-day ultimatum and threatened to declare a strike, if the government fails to heed their calls.

They are accusing the Medical Director of maladministration and showing gross disrespect to subordinates.

Before the agitation against Dr. Dordoye, the hospital in August threatened to discharge over 100 patients, due to the lack of funds to run the facility.

Speaking to Citi News, the Deputy Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Psychiatric Nurses’ Group, Benjamin Anewotey, said several discussions with officials of the Health Ministry have proven futile hence the decision to declare a strike.

He said the action today was because the nurses have not heard from the Minister of Health “so we are laying down our tools from now till we hear something from whether the minister or through management.”

This strike is set to lead to the closure of the Out Patient Department [OPD] and the early discharge of patients.

“Those in the wards are being discharged prematurely due to our strike… those who will be coming to the OPD, none of them will be attended to by nurses. Every nurse is laying down their tools,” Mr. Anewotey said.

It is not only nursing staff that is embarking on the sit-down strike, but “the entire hospital staff,” he added.

Other hospitals to join?

The Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital has over 400 staff in all, and according to Mr. Anewotey, they are set to be supported by other psychiatric hospitals.

“We have been assured that all the psychiatric hospitals in Ghana and our colleagues in the community will be joining us in this fight,” he disclosed.

–

By: Philip Nii Lartey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital staff begin strike; Patients ‘set free’ appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The nurses gave government the 3-day ultimatum after earlier threats to down their tools and release all patients on admission at the hospital over the continued presence of Dr. Dordoye at the facility if their concerns were not addressed.

[contextly_sidebar id=”sEEU1hqeCPd2tO0IOXMaAmbhTm5HdeVL”]The Deputy Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Psychiatric Nurses’ Group, Benjamin Anewotey, told Citi News that despite discussions with officials of the Health Ministry on their demands for Dr. Dordoye’s removal, government’s inaction had prompted them to issue the ultimatum.

“We’ve spoken with the Minister and we were expecting that the Minister was going to talk about it and whether he [Dr Dordoye] is going or not. We gave them an ultimatum up to Wednesday – the third working day – that they should go back to the Minister and report back to him so that he’ll look at whatever has happened and advise himself or give a definitive decision. If not, on Thursday we will lay down our tools because we can’t work with him,” he said.

The nurses had earlier complained that the gross disrespect shown by Dr. Dordoye to staff and mismanagement of the hospital is causing them ‘psychological and emotional’ distress.

“We are emotionally and psychologically breaking down and we do not have peace of mind to care for our patients. We need peace and sound mind to care for our patients. The Accra people have a saying that ‘when the frog comes out of the water and says the crocodile is dead, you don’t challenge him’. In the same vein, when the psychiatric health workers who provide care to the mentally challenged say they are psychologically and emotionally breaking down, don’t condemn them, take them seriously,” a representative of the nurses,  Daniel Danso Sarpong said at the time.

He had also claimed that despite an investigation by the Mental Health Authority into their allegations, a report was yet to be presented, despite several assurances.

“The fact-finding committee sent by the Mental Health Authority commenced their investigations on the 24^th of October, and ended on 26^th October. They assured us that the findings of the investigations would be made available within one week, but as we speak today, we have not heard anything from the Mental Health Authority. The Psychiatric Nurses group is informing the whole world, the Minister of Health and the Mental Health Authority that we cannot continue to be subjected to this kind of mental torture at the workplace.”

Benjamin Anewotey reiterated this point, stating that the nurses would not go to work on Thursday if Dr. Dordoye is still in charge of the hospital by then, suggesting that the differences between the two parties were irreconcilable.

“For us at the hospital, we are not going to work. He doesn’t trust us and a lot of other issues. So he can work with those that he trusts if only they can manage it. But we are saying that we can’t work with him anymore, and if they want to impose him on us then those who want to do that should come and work with him,” he added.

–

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ankaful psychiatric nurses to strike against their director appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the nurses, the gross disrespect shown by Dr. Dordoye to staff and mismanagement of the hospital is causing them ‘psychological and emotional’ distress.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Q1VG55iEzK8LWn0z0c2kcPqhumFE7tZM”]Speaking to the media on Thursday, the leader of the Psychiatric Nurses Group, Daniel Danso Sarpong, called for his removal within a week, threatening that the nurses would lay down their tools and let the patients loose if this does not happen.

“We are emotionally and psychologically breaking down and we do not have peace of mind to care for our patients. We need peace and sound mind to care for our patients. The Accra people have a saying that ‘when the frog comes out of the water and says the crocodile is dead, you don’t challenge him’. In the same vein, when the psychiatric health workers who provide care to the mentally challenged say they are psychologically and emotionally breaking down, don’t condemn them, take them seriously,” he said.

Daniel Sarpong also claimed that despite an investigation by the Mental Health Authority into their allegations, a report was yet to be presented, despite several assurances.

“The fact-finding committee sent by the Mental Health Authority commenced their investigations on the 24^th of October and ended on 26^th October. They assured us that the findings of the investigations would be made available within one week but as we speak today we have not heard anything from the Mental Health Authority. The Psychiatric Nurses group is informing the whole world, the Minister of Health and the Mental Health Authority that we cannot continue to be subjected to this kind of mental torture at the workplace,” he added.

“A week’s ultimatum effective today [Thursday], is hereby duly served on the various stakeholders to hear the voices of the nurses and act accordingly, otherwise we’ll advise ourselves by abandoning the wards and the OPD. We shall not take care of the patients and we’ll open the wards for the patients to go out. We maintain our stance that we cannot work with Eugene Dordoye.”

‘No funds’

The hospital had earlier in August, threatened to discharge over one hundred patients, due to the lack of funds to run the facility.

According to the acting Clinical Coordinator of the facility, Dr. Emefa Dzide, the hospital is currently indebted to various food suppliers to the tune of over three million cedis.

She said, “first of all, feeding the patients is becoming a very great burden to us. Even recently, we had to scramble together to look for money to buy meals for the patients because we are not getting the funds from government as we need to. They promised us from the beginning of the year until now.”

–

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Sack our Director or we’ll free patients – Ankaful Psychiatric Nurses appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Acting Clinical Coordinator of the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, Dr Emefa Dzide spoke about the distressing situation when members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints made a donation to the hospital over the weekend.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6xbmSYnaI7GbfnzmTujO3RBCqOd4qntS”]According to her, the hospital is currently indebted to various food suppliers to the tune of over three million cedis.

She said, “first of all, feeding the patients is becoming a very great burden to us, even recently, we had to scramble together to look for money to buy meals for the patients because we are not getting the funds from government as we need to they promised us from the beginning of the year until now.”

“Even the little money they promised to give us we have still gotten our hands on it yet, so we are having difficulties, we owe suppliers for backlog of years and they are not willing to supply again and it is becoming very difficult,” Dr. Emefa continued.

She added that “Looking in the near future, maybe we would have to let all the patients go home because we can’t afford to feed or take care of them.”

She however made mention of the fact that she was not aware of the amount of money available in the budget that is supposed to be allocated to the hospital.

“I’m not sure about how much exactly is in the budget to give us but what I know is that, there was a time we went there and they promised us an amount of money. Even though it is a very small amount as compared to what we need to pay back all our creditors, even that small amount they were supposed to give to us hasn’t come.” She lamented.

Accra Psychiatric hospital closes down
In a related case, the Accra Psychiatric hospital was also November 2016, forced to release about 200 patients due to similar circumstances.

–

By: Rita Mensah& Joseph Ackon-Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghan

The post ‘We’ve no money to feed patients’ – Ankaful hospital management appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Is it going to happen again?

Sources tell Citi Sports that the contract of Kwesi Appiah, the current coach, reportedly expires on July 18 this year.

Bigwigs in the football fraternity are chewing on the topic.

FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi believes coach Kwesi Appiah has done more than enough to earn an extension.

“Kwesi Appiah has done very well to be the first indigenous coach to qualify the team to the World Cup. He just didn’t qualify us but he did it in grand style – smashing teams six, four and so on.

“But it is a decision that will be taken at the Executive Committee level but personally I have been very impressed by his work.”

Kwesi Appiah has won 58.3% of his games in all – competitive or otherwise – and his failure to beat any non-African teams in addition to not winning the 2013 African Cup are widely seen as blips.

“Do it before Brazil starts”

Former Ghana FA boss Ben Koufie also wants Kwesi Appiah’s contract to be renewed before the 2014 World Cup.

“Kwesi (Appiah) has done extremely well to deserve contract extension. There is no need to delay in renewing his mandate. In my view we should extend his contract before the World Cup.

“He needs to focus on the job and therefore we should not leave the matter of contract renewal hanging on his head. To qualify a country to the World Cup is no mean achievement. We need to impose confidence in him by giving him a new deal.”

The danger

These calls from Nyantakyi and Koufie are legitimate because with  three months to the end of the deal, Kwesi Appiah will have the freedom to begin talking with potential employers elsewhere should the FA not talk about renewal now.

But Citi Sports understands that the FA are planning to give him a new deal soon.

Public opinion

On Citi Sports’ African football show – done in collaboration with supersport.com –  that airs on Fridays, FC Africa, BBC journalist Michael Oti-Adjei and veteran journalist Christopher Opoku provided professional insight into the two year tenure of the coach.

The discussion was driven by the public’s views on social media.

@oluwashina @garyalsmith He failed to win Afcon 2013 by selecting poor players but he’s done well as native coach to take Ghana to WorldCup!

— coudjoe amankwaa (@coudjoeamankwaa) April 11, 2014

@garyalsmith his success is geting the stars to score more goals in a single game.Failure,team nt living up to expectations at the ACN in SA — Ebo Dadzie (@Ebo_dadzie) April 11, 2014

@garyalsmith Bad: hasn’t really made an effort to find a replacement for Gyan up front. Created a reliance on him. Agree with Maher’s also. — Säm Crocker (@Sam_Crock) April 11, 2014

@garyalsmith he has been under some element of luck though. but his tactics are questionable. and also failing to win #afcon is a bit failur

— Jermpapa Kabore (@Jermpopito) April 11, 2014

@garyalsmith I think his substitutions have been his weakness but qualifying us to the world cup is his success

— musah walbi zenabu (@zenabuwalbi) April 11, 2014

@garyalsmith Kwesi Appiah is a good coach but I fear for him when i comes to making bold decisions when Ghana is on the losing side — Stephen K. Assan (@pakashassan) April 11, 2014

YOU CAN LISTEN AGAIN OR DOWNLOAD THE SHOW AGAIN HERE:

By: Gary Al-Smith/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @garyalsmith

The post Debate: Should Kwesi Appiah’s contract be renewed before the World Cup? appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.