TTH Attack: It’s sickening for 'ordinary butchers' to chase away CEO – Agbey

The Executive Director of the Ghana Institute of Governance and Security, David Agbey has described as total embarrassment, the attacks unleashed on the CEO of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr David Kolbilla, on Monday 13 August 2018 by a coalition of pro-NPP youth including vigilante group Kandahar Boys.

According to him, it’s sickening for lay men on the streets to chase away a professional managing a premier hospital in the region under the guise of he being incompetent.

“How on earth can this be for ordinary guys on the streets who are only capable of slaughtering dogs and cows to mobilize themselves and go to a whole CEO’s office to chase him away on the basis that he’s incompetent. Its sad that we are overusing the word incompetent to justify wrongs.” he said on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM Wednesday.

Agbey accused the Akufo-Addo-led administration of emboldening vigilantism in the country saying “the state is not ready to show any sense of readiness to be able to fight these people and surrender them.”

“It is as if that some people are living on an Island. The menace is festering because government is not ready to fight them and take punitive measures against youth perpetrating these acts of vandalism.” he told host Kwaku Owusu Adjei.

A viral video captured Mr Kolbila and his officers who had been given the marching off orders by the attackers exiting their offices helplessly on Monday.

The group accused Mr Kolbila of mismanagement, corruption and nepotism. The group further alleged that Dr Kolbila has established a number of companies which he is using to lobby for supplies for the hospital.

Initial reports suggested the invasion was carried out by the Kandahar Boys, a vigilante group affiliated to the NPP, but the group has since vehemently denied any involvement via a press statement.

Meanwhile scores of patients including pregnant women and little children who thronged the Tamale Teaching Hospital in the Northern Region to seek health care Wednesday morning have been turned away by the striking doctors and nurses.

The situation has left several patients stranded as some have come from far away places to the health facility for specialist consulting that is offered only at Tamale Teaching Hospital.

Lab Scientists at the hospital have also withdrawn their services. The OPD section of the Hospital has been deserted as there’s not a single member of staff available to attend to the patients. Specialist consulting that was also to take place is also unavailable.

The health professionals withdrew all out patient, specialist clinic, anti-natal clinic, accident and emergency services on Tuesday evening to protest the attack on the CEO by thugs suspected to be loyalist of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has backed the strike action saying once the medical staff feel their lives are in danger they have every reason to stay away from work.