Nartey Must Go Now! -Korle-Bu Workers

By Newman Dotse

Some concerned workers of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital are pleading with President John Evans Atta Mills to, as a matter of urgency; dismiss Professor Otu Nartey, Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, to save the hospital from collapsing, for the betterment of the government and the people of Ghana.

The workers want the CEO fired because, according to them, his tenure in office has allegedly recorded the highest rate of corruption at the hospital. They have also accused him of intentionally running the hospital down to pave way for its privatization, an idea he apparently disclosed to the Daily Graphic in an interview a month ago.

In an interview with a representative of the concerned workers who pleaded anonymity for fear of being victimized, he said workers of the hospital are fed up with the leadership style of the CEO and that, they want a change immediately or else, they would resort to a sit down strike until this demand is met.

According to the workers, they want the President to withdraw Professor Otu Nartey, the Chief Executive Officer of Korle- Bu Hospital because he lacks the aptitude to manage the hospital to the expectation of Ghanaians. “The Chief Executive has recorded the worst corruption in the history of the hospital,” they explained.

According to them, the CEO is trying very hard to lock out the Hospital resources and it is about time President Mills did something about it; otherwise, the hospital will collapse.

They say should President Mills refuse to terminate the appointment of the CEO, then the Minister of Health and the New Board Chairman of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Hon. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin and Mr. Eddie Annan, who have the enthusiasm to rescue and transform the hospital after it has been run into ditch, are sure of facing stiff resistance because the CEO and his cohorts will put impediments on their way to make certain that they fail in their quest to curb corruption in the hospital, let alone redeeming the sinking image of the hospital.

According to the information available to The Citizen Newspaper, concerns have been raised by some senior staff of the hospital after the resignation of the former Board Chairman, Rev. Prof. Seth Aryeetey who apparently allowed some strange development which led to the sinking image of the hospital, as to whether those benefiting from the woes of the hospital could ever give Mr. Eddie Annan and Hon. Alban Bagbin the chance to work effectively.

Some patients this paper interviewed at the hospital’s premises say the resignation of the former Board Chairman is a step in the right direction but for them, the problem of the hospital will continue because the CEO is also part of the problem. With Prof. Otu Nartey at post, his men would continue to work against the progress of the hospital.

It is alleged that the CEO, Prof. Otu Nartey, who has been aiding some top officials of the hospital whose names are withheld for now, is poised to go at any length to make the work difficult for the sector Minister, Hon Alban Bagbin and the new Board Chairman, Mr. Eddie Annan, who is also a business mogul.

Today, the awards of contracts are done without tender, officials of the hospital disregard procurement processes and of course, the payments of top up allowances to undeserving officials of the hospital.

It would be recalled that Professor Otu Nartey told Daily Graphic that privatization plan is the only option that could save the hospital from total collapse. Professor Otu Nartey’s call for the privatization of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital clearly demonstrates his lack of aptitude to manage the hospital to the satisfaction of the people of Ghana, and has clearly exposed his ignorance in management.

He clearly showed that he is intentionally running the hospital into a ditch to pave way for the professed privatization plan. Perhaps, he has friends who are interested in the purchase of the hospital.

Common mistake in Ghana is equating managerial expertise with academic laurels. Erudite professionals like a lawyer, a doctor or a professor in an academic field does not necessarily make a good manager or administrator. It is just like fitting a square peg in a round hole.

How can a professor suggest that the country's number one teaching hospital, Korle-Bu, where medical doctors are trained for the country and where people of Ghana receive medical treatment should be privatized? This man is not the right person to manage the hospital. The Citizen agrees with the aggrieved and concerned workers of the hospital. However, as to whether any action would be taken to address their concern, only God knows.

People without any managerial skills and training should not be allowed to head these state institutions. The fact that somebody is seen as an experienced doctor or a professor in whatever subject does not make the person a good administrator. Most academic doctors lack managerial skills, particularly in the area of financial and human resource management.

Source: The Citizen Newspaper (thecitizen.news@yahoo.com) +233 27 731 4655