The Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyemang Manu has assured staff of Pantang Hospital that his ministry will work together with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to ensure that government retrieves the hospital’s lands which have been taken over by private developers.

Staff of the hospital on Monday began a sit-down strike and followed it up with a demonstration of Wednesday to register their displeasure for the increasing numbers of private structures that are being raised in front of the hospital.

The Minister on Wednesday inspected the encroached lands and met with the person who claimed ownership of the land, asking him to halt work till further notice.

Addressing the media after a meeting with the workers, the Minister stated that the man in question produced “his documentation and a court judgment” and he claimed that “he has rightful title to the land and therefore he cannot abandon his own property for the sake of the hospital”.

However, the man accepted the Minister's request to “hold on with developments temporarily” until there are proper engagements to find a solution to the matter.

He said, “government has an interest in that area and we will try to do the best that we can to make sure that government acquires the property if it’s not its own as yet so that Pantang will have the full compliments of its land to develop itself”.

The Minister was appreciative that the workers had agreed to call off their strike and return to work tomorrow.