The Ashanti Regional Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Alex Opoku-Mensah is racing against time of losing his job after he verbally abused a nurse at the Manhyia District Hospital in the Ashanti Region.
Following this, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has, in a petition, demanded his immediate removal from office or they will be compelled to withdraw their services within 72 hours.
This comes on the back of a circulated audio recording from the Manhyia District Hospital in which a male voice purported to be the NSS Director, is heard raining insults on a nurse and for that matter, all nurses and midwives in Ghana.
Meanwhile, the GRNMA, says their investigations had it that the said male audio, has been identified as Mr. Opoku-Mensah. According to them, the development follows a misunderstanding that ensued between the NSS boss and a nurse at the Manhyia Hospital.
“The Public Services Commission and Government for that matter should sack the said Regional Director immediately because, he is not fit for the Director position he holds in the Public Service. He had absolutely no right to enter Manhyia District Hospital and verbally abuse and threaten the nurse in question who was on duty at the time.”
They argue that as a director, he should have known that Manhyia District Hospital had leaders (Medical Superintendent and a Nurse Manager) under whom the nurse (third person) works, therefore, any complaint should have been channeled to them than the step he took.
“We wish to state categorically that if the government does not relieve Mr. Alex Poku Mensah of his duty as Ashanti Regional Director of the National Service Scheme within 72 hours, nurses and midwives of Manhyia Hospital will be called upon to lay down their tools, followed by the whole of Ashanti Region and then it will be escalated to the whole nation,” they threatened.
The petition also wants “Management of Manhyia Hospital to ensure that the House Officer of the hospital is schooled on his role in the Medical Team and the fact that Nurses and Midwives are patient’s advocates and will continue to advocate for their patients and clients even if it makes another member in the team uncomfortable.”
“In order for peace and harmony to prevail at the facility, we additionally call on the management of the hospital to take all the professional staff through Team Building and Team Work to foster unity of purpose at the facility,” they admonished.
The Association also called on all nurses and midwives at the Manhyia District Hospital to remain calm and go about their normal duties awaiting further directives from the leadership if the need be.
However, Alex Opoku-Mensah, has rendered an unqualified apology for his actions and asked for forgiveness.
