The governance of Nana Akufo-Addo is facing further challenges as the Health Accounting Staff Association has announced its intention to go on strike.
This decision has been prompted by the recent actions of the management of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). According to a statement released by the association, on September 20, 2023, the CEO of KBTH issued release letters dated September 19, 2023, to five (5) accountants of the hospital, instructing them to report to the Health Ministry for re-assignment, effective September 26, 2023.
“To our utmost dismay, all the affected accountants are leaders of the local branch of HASAG Union in the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, made up of four branch council members and one executive member of the union who is the Korle-bu branch Vice president of the association.
“From all indications, they are being taken out of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital permanently to be reassigned under the Ministry of Health and never to return to the hospital,” a statement they issued said.
This move by the CEO and the Ministry, to take the local union leaders out of the hospital permanently, they added, will make it next to impossible for them to fight for the right of members and it is not in accordance with the public service provision and the framework for negotiating condition of service for Ghana public sector health workforce.
“Reference is hereby made to section 3.1.i-iii of the framework for negotiating condition of service for Ghana public sector health workforce 2015 page 12 on posting referred to as “the conditions of service”, states that, i. Where the posting is intended to be more than two (2) years a reasonable period of not less than three (3) months’ notice shall be given to the employee. ii. As far as possible postings shall be done before the commencement of each academic year to
“iii.enable employees to arrange for schools for their wards where necessary. Posting should, under no circumstances, be used as a punitive measure.
“It is obvious that the release is a pure attempt aimed at victimizing and intimidating the leadership and its members in order to gloss over due process involved in the appointment of a substantive director of finance for which the case is pending in court for determination.
“It is evident from discussions had with specific stakeholders that the impacted members are being transferred as a result of their engagement in the pending legal matter. The union’s leadership feels that the five association members should not have been released, particularly now that the case is in court.
“To this end, we call on His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander in Chief of the Ghana Arm Forces, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo to call the Health Minister, the Board Chairman KBTH and the CEO of KBTH to order in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.
“We are by this communique serving notice that, if the release letters given to our Union leaders at Korle- bu teaching hospital are not withdrawn within seven (7) working days from the date of this letter, the union shall embark on a nationwide strike action to demand the withdrawal of the letters.”
