2 Volta Ghana Health Service staff arrested for forgery

Two persons who are said to be working at the Volta Regional Health Directorate (VRHD) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have been arrested in Ho, the regional capital, for alleged forgery.

The two – Paul Yebi, 32, a National Service Personnel (2015/2016 batch) and Penidas Fordjour, 33, a staff who works as a Bio Statistics Assistant – were arrested for allegedly forging the signature of the outgoing Regional Director, Dr. Joseph Teye Nuertey.

Paul, who was working with the Human Resource Department during and after his national service period, is reported to have forged the signature to release some nurses and midwives to other regions at the cost of GH¢1,440.00.

Penidas on the other hand, is reported to have forged the director’s signature to re-instate somebody on the payroll of the Ghana Health Service.

Their arrest was confirmed by the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Nana Asomah Hinneh, during an interview with DAILY GUIDE yesterday. He said Dr. Joseph Teye Nuertey reported the incident to the police on Wednesday, 11th October, 2017. The person at the directorate admitted the offence whiles the second suspect, Penidas Fordjour, a staff, was an accomplice.

According to him, Paul, who claimed to have been engaging in the act for a year, said he had managed to facilitate the release of over 20 nurses and midwives from the region, while Penidas claimed he re-instated someone onto the government’s payroll with the forged signature only once.

DCOP Asomah Hinneh added that although another person was named as an accomplice, details were sketchy. In the meantime, a midwife who has been mentioned as the recent beneficiary, is being contacted to assist in further investigation.

Although the regional command is making efforts to contact some of the nurses who benefited, the commander ruled out the possibility of they being accomplices or otherwise, only investigation could conclude whether the nurses and the midwives were accomplices or mere victims. DCOP Hinneh said that the two suspects would be processed for court after adequate investigation. He was hopeful the investigation would help to fish out other collaborators.