Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, has justified the ‘dismissal’ of Dr Thomas Anaba as the Medical Director of the Ridge Hospital in Accra, something that triggered power struggle at the facility six months ago.

Dr. Anaba was appointed on February 1, 2016 by the Mahama government as the Medical Director of the Hospital for a four year term, but the Akufo-Addo government per a letter dated May 10, reassigned him to the University of Development Studies (UDS), where he previously worked.

But Dr. Anaba refused to leave his duty post, claiming his transfer was done in bad faith and without basis whatsoever. His refusal to hand over to Dr Emmanuel Kwabla Srofenyoh who was directed to take over from him, caused tension between him and the Health Minister.

Dr. Anaba has since resorted to court to seek justice for what he termed as unlawful termination of his appointment.

Answering questions on the issue in Parliament Thursday, the Minister indicated that Dr Anaba was never contracted as a permanent medical director of the referral facility, which is now the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.

He explained that Dr Anaba was only on secondment at the Hospital from UDS. Mr. Agyemang Manu told Parliament Dr. Anaba was even drawing his salaries from UDS while he was the medical director of the Ridge Hospital.

“Dr. Anaba was on secondment, he hadn’t resigned from the University of Development studies. He still had the job waiting for him and therefore Ghana Health Serivce couldn’t have contained him when we had completed and we were trying operationalise the facility.

We needed somebody to be there permanently,” the Minister explained. He added “”we didn’t want to take any risk on that matter and that is why we requested he goes back to his previous position so we can put a more permanent person in the facility,”

The Minister also said it was not correct that Dr. Anaba was given a four year contract, saying “Dr Anaba appointment was on contract for two years and not four years”.