‘General Arts’ tops Twitter trends after A/R NSS director's attack on nurse

‘General Arts’ has now taken over Twitter trends in Ghana after a comment made by the Ashanti Regional Director of the National Service Scheme, NSS; Mr. Alex Opoku-Mensah.

The embattled public official is under criticism for verbally assaulting a nurse at the Manhyia District Hospital where he was captured on tape verbally attacking a staff nurse.

In the said audio recording of the incident, the NSS director is heard hurling insults and threats at a nurse for allegedly intimidating his daughter, who is a house officer at the hospital.

He is heard questioning the qualification of the nurse,

“Stupid idiot, tell them, I’m very happy you are here, you don’t respect, that your stupid nursing that you went to do, you’re mad, that your General Arts that you went to do, if you did science, you’re a disappointed nurse, stupid, foolish, foolish girl, you don’t respect.”

The nurse's qualification comment, in which he allegedly referred to her as a General Arts student, has since gone viral on social media with the hashtag #GeneralArts.

A social media user by the name, Akrobeta @esitheeboss wrote “I don’t know why general arts students working at hospitals are looked down upon. They will ask you your course of study there norr fa no k) records.”

Another user also tweeted, “but truth be told, I don’t think general arts students should be admitted into nursing training colleges. General arts students are not allowed to study medicine, so why are they allowed to study medicine in nursing?” Ezequiel@eapasera asked.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called for the sacking of Mr Alex Poku from office.

According to the association, the conduct of the Regional NSS Director at the Manhyia Hospital makes him unfit to occupy the position.

The association has warned that it will recall the services of its members at the hospital if the government fails to heed the demand for his dismissal within 72 hours.

And on the other hand, Mr. Alex Opoku-Mensah has rendered an unqualified apology to the general public for his behaviour, in an apology shared on his Facebook page, Alex Poku-Mensah stated that what happened was not his style.

“I understand the disappointment and appreciate the inconvenience my action has caused the general public as well as the nursing fraternity and Manhyia Hospital.

“This has never been my style but for a genuine reason to mediate a persistent issue between my daughter (doctor) and a colleague nurse who I as well consider my daughter,” he wrote.

He described what happened as a ‘mishap’ and asked for forgiveness.

Read some of the tweets below:

But truth be told, I don’t think general arts students should be admitted into nursing training colleges. General arts students are not allowed to study medicine, so why are they allowed in nursing?

— Ezequiel ???????? (@eapasera) November 29, 2022

But truth be told, I don’t think general arts students should be admitted into nursing training colleges. General arts students are not allowed to study medicine, so why are they allowed in nursing?

— Ezequiel ???????? (@eapasera) November 29, 2022

General Arts Students Association of Ghana badly wounded by stray bullets fired by the Ashanti Region NSS Director

— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) November 29, 2022

I really respect General Art students. But to be honest, General arts students don't deserve to be admitted into nursing schools. https://t.co/UPTEjOFuVJ

— Mba-Ngur Bella Gado (@mbangurbella) November 29, 2022

So literally this bi what the NSS Director dey tell we

Hmm! General Arts students ya br3! pic.twitter.com/hxzqlOXus9

— PAQ® (@PapaQuasy) November 29, 2022

So y’all saying nurses who offered General Arts are often the cause of patients’ death due to negligence, if you are being asked for proof can you provide it ??? Smh

— Siaw???? (@siawbadness) November 29, 2022

Sides of the story coming in. These general arts nurses ankasa them no dey pet???? pic.twitter.com/7LG0Kid2gR

— BigNart???????????????? (@BigNartey) November 29, 2022

We the General Arts students will not sit down and allow ourselves to be intimidated.

The NSS boss will hear from our lawyers soon????

— McCarthy Eric (@MCCARTHYtilador) November 29, 2022

Dem say General Arts Students dema end be Date Rush and bi true?????????

— NEKTA???? (@nekta__official) November 29, 2022

Pls the General Arts we get Arts 1 and Arts 2…ibi the Arts 2 ppl wey no get future lets be guided on this app ????????????

— VIK!NG ???????? (@iamKobbyG) November 29, 2022