General News of Monday, 27 March 2017

Source: 3news.com

I was politically terminated at Korle Bu - Charles Ofei-Palm

Charles Offei-Palm, President of Korle Bu Senior Staff Association Charles Offei-Palm, President of Korle Bu Senior Staff Association

The reinstated President of Korle Bu Senior Staff Association (KOSSA) Charles Offei-Palm has alleged that his interdictions and subsequent termination from post was politically motivated by some unseen hands in the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government. Justifying this allegation, President of KOSSA noted that the speed at which the former government froze his salary, coupled with threats of dismissal from former Health Minister Alex Segbefia are clear attestation that his dismissal was politically done.

“I believe my termination at post was politically motivated because I don’t see why the then Minister of Health will keep telling me that former President Mahama would fire me when I was seeking to ensure that lay down procedures are followed. Alex was a total failure, he failed woefully”

The interdicted President of KOSSA, Charles Offei-Palm, has been reinstated, in a letter with immediate effect. The letter jointly signed by the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Samuel Asiamah, and Director of Human Resource Samuel Akotuah Atweri directed that Mr Offei-Palm be paid all salaries and allowances lost during the termination. Mr Offei-Palm was interdicted last year for bringing the name of the Hospital into disrepute, according to management.

While being grateful to the current Minister of Health Kweku Agyeman Manu for ensuring that the “right thing” is done, the President of KOSSA maintained that he was unjustly victimized due to the fact that he was perceived to be working against the former administration. He noted that utterances from Alex Segbefia and his predecessor Sherry Ayitey were not only tribalistic and vindictive but also tilted towards covering up rots at Korle Bu. “I was surprised when Sherry Ayitey was making tribal comments when the issue was brought to her attention” Charles told Bright Kwesi Asempa on Onua Fm morning show ‘Yen Nsem Pa’

He also alleged that Ghana’s premier Health Institution is in mess today due to actions and inactions of Alex Segbefia as minister of health. “When you raise issues about procedural challenges, Akex Will threatens you to the extent that our Directors have no choice but to kowtow to the dictates of the health minister”. A situation he said has greatly contributed to the rots at Korle Bu.

“Our director’s hands were tied behind them by political forces so they also had to write letters to me. I know that for sure because when we go to meetings, they demonstrated that they were in favor of due process but have to save their jobs. But I have forgiven them already” he asserted.

The President of KOSSA however is hopeful that issues of corruption will be a thing of the past under the current health minister.