NO WAY, I WON’T GO

… Tamale Teaching Hospital CEO Defies Order To Hand Over

From Edmond Gyebi, Tamale

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Dr. Prosper Akambong, yesterday refused to hand over office to a newly-appointed replacement, Dr. David Zawumya Kobila.

The handing over ceremony, which was getting to the climax, was abruptly aborted after Dr. Akambong had allegedly received a call from an unknown source.

The supposed outgoing CEO insisted that he could not hand over office to the new CEO, because he was yet to receive any formal letter from the Ministry of Health, suggesting he had either been dismissed or transferred to a different facility.

But his action stirred up the anger of some foot soldiers of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), who had come in their numbers to witness the ceremony and to usher the new CEO into office.

They insisted that Dr. Prosper Akambong should hand over immediately or incur their wrath.  But for the timely intervention of the incoming CEO, and the Special Aide to the Northern Regional Minister, Shani Bawumia, a different story would have been told.

Dr. Akambong, who turned down an interview with The Chronicle, quickly left the scene to apparently avoid any confrontation with the angry NPP youth.

Dr. David Kobila also declined to comment, but rather charged the youth to restrain themselves. Dr. Prosper Akambong, who assumed office in 2013, has come under intense pressure and attacks in recent times.

There were allegations of prescription of expired drugs, looting of essential drugs by some senior doctors to stock their private hospitals, and frequent shortage of oxygen, among others.

No official report has implicated the embattled Chief Executive Officer in any of the allegations. The development, however, resulted in a series of attacks, demonstrations and criticisms, especially, from some vigilante groups of the NPP, who, at some point, barricaded his office and handed over the keys to the Northern Regional Police Command.

It took the intervention of the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, and some chiefs in Tamale, to get Dr. Akambong back to office.

In ensuring efficiency, proper management and transparency at the TTH, the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has now appointed a new CEO, Dr. David Kobila, to take over from Dr. Prosper Akambong, but not without some controversies.

The Chronicle gathered the NPP ‘Kandahar Boys’ stormed the Kaladan Park in Tamale to foil a planned demonstration by some perceived supporters of the outgoing CEO against the incoming CEO.

… Tamale Teaching Hospital CEO Defies Order To Hand Over From Edmond Gyebi, Tamale The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Dr. Prosper Akambong, yesterday refused to hand over office to a newly-appointed replacement, Dr. David Zawumya Kobila. The handing over ceremony, which was getting to the climax, was abruptly aborted […] Read Full Story