'Transfer him now!' – Eastern Region youth give Health Ministry 7-day ultimatum

The Medical Director of the Eastern Regional Hospital, Dr Arko Akoto-Ampaw, is currently under fire following accusations of wrongdoing and administrative misconduct.

At a crowded press conference held in Koforidua on Friday, November 7, 2025, a youth group calling itself the Concerned Youth of the Reset Agenda — supporters of President John Dramani Mahama’s Reset Agenda policy — issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to transfer Dr. Akoto-Ampaw from the hospital.

The group warned that failure by the authorities to act swiftly would compel them to “enforce the President’s Reset Agenda to normalize the situation” at the hospital.

Clad in red armbands, the aggrieved youth accused Dr Akoto-Ampaw of defying a legitimate transfer directive and overstaying his post.

They argued that his continued stay at the facility undermines the government’s efforts to inject new energy and accountability into the health sector.

According to the group, Dr Akoto-Ampaw has served as Medical Director for more than six years, far exceeding the standard tenure for such positions.

They alleged that despite being transferred under a national reshuffle of medical directors aimed at improving leadership and transparency, he has refused to comply.

The youth explained that Dr Akoto-Ampaw was granted a three-month grace period to settle his family before assuming his new posting — a period that has long expired. Yet, he continues to occupy the office “unlawfully,” they claimed.

They noted that the nationwide transfer exercise, initiated by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, was intended to inject new leadership and align management with national efficiency goals.

However, confusion arose after a second letter reassigned the individual initially posted to replace Dr Akoto-Ampaw to the Hohoe Government Hospital, creating uncertainty around the succession process.

Following a meeting at the GHS headquarters, it was agreed that Dr Akoto-Ampaw would remain temporarily for three months — a condition he has since violated.

The group further emphasized that per the GHS directive, no medical director is supposed to serve more than a year at the same facility without transfer, stressing that Dr Akoto-Ampaw’s continued stay “breaches policy and accountability standards.”

They therefore issued a stern warning to the Director-General and the Ministry of Health to enforce the transfer directive without delay, insisting that no further extensions would be tolerated.

The youth accused Dr Akoto-Ampaw of lobbying influential persons to help him retain his position, allegedly boasting that the current GHS Director-General “cannot remove him because he serves in an acting capacity” and that he “enjoys powerful backing.”

The group also alleged financial improprieties and mismanagement under his administration, claiming that he has turned the hospital into a “money-making venture for personal gain.”

According to them, staff reports suggest that maintenance contracts funded by government are diverted to his associates, leading to inflated costs and missing items, including air conditioners and food meant for patients.

They further alleged that while the triage and emergency wards struggle with inadequate beds and basic consumables, Dr Akoto-Ampaw has “chosen to fund his law education using hospital resources.”

“What policy in the Ghana Health Service permits a course of study with no direct benefit to the service to be sponsored with hospital funds?” the group questioned, insisting that their claims are verifiable.

They added that Dr Akoto-Ampaw, together with several management members who have stayed at the facility for over six to twelve years, must be transferred immediately to prevent “administrative stagnation and continued distractions.”

The youth stated that they had initially exercised patience when the director requested time to relocate, but his continued defiance now “suggests collusion with certain individuals in authority to subvert due process.”

“We assure all concerned that the youth will resist this by every lawful means necessary,” the group warned. Any covert dealings between him and persons in power will soon be exposed.”

The Concerned Youth of the Reset Agenda concluded by calling on President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister of Health, and the Eastern Regional Minister to intervene immediately, stressing that the growing frustration among the youth threatens to escalate if decisive action is not taken.