The staff of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital who dragged Management of the hospital to the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for alleged mismanagement of Covid-19 funds, has been dismissed.

In a letter sighted by Myjoyonline.com, the hospital’s Disciplinary Committee described contents of his submissions as false and his explanation of same to the media as a breach of hospital protocols, thus forming the basis for his sack.

According to the Disciplinary Committee, Mr. Awuni Akyireba peddled falsehood when he alleged that Management of KATH used Covid-19 donations to acquire luxury vehicles.

“Again, it is true that the official vehicle for the Medical Director was involved in an accident but Police report on the incident indicates the driver as Prof. Baafour Opoku, the Medical Director, not his wife as you alleged. This is a major offence under the hospital disciplinary code section 13: 02 xxiii (misconduct),” it added.

The hospital further stated that Mr. Akyireba’s decision to go to the media with the information he had gathered instead of the hospital's Management, was a breach of KATH’s disciplinary code, Section 13:02 xiii (misconduct).

“Besides, a content analysis of your response to the query given you, clearly indicates that you willfully used abusive language on your superior, contrary to the Disciplinary Code, Section 13.01 I (poor performance) and ii (misconduct),” the letter signed by the Board Chairman, Nana Effah Apenteng stated.

In the letter, it was revealed that Mr. Akyireba failed to present himself before the Disciplinary Committee to provide further evidence.

“For avoiding physical service of invitation to appear before the Disciplinary Committee and eventually failing/ refusing to appear despite glaring evidence that you saw the invitation, you commit a major offence under the Code.”

This thus gave reason for the Committee to conclude that “you are guilty of all the offences charged and therefore renders you liable for summary dismissal (Section 13:02 xxix-misconduct).”

“The Hospital Board finds your conduct most reprehensible and unacceptable. Especially when you were previously given warning, final warning, final final warning to desist from such behaviour,” it continued.

The Hospital Board has thus directed the Director of Finance at KATH to strike out Mr. Akyireba’s name from the hospital's payroll and ensure the payment of his Provident Fund Benefits with immediate effect.

However, in an interview with Awuni Akyireba, he revealed that the claim that he had evaded the Disciplinary Committee is rather unfounded.

According to him, at the said time, he was on an approved leave.

He has indicated that he is liaising with his lawyers to fight the decision in court.

Background

Awuni Akyireba, a Chartered Forensic Accountant at KATH in November of 2021 had accused CEO and Medical Director of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Oheneba Owusu-Danso, and Prof Baafour Kofi Opoku of abusing their public office.

According to Mr. Akyireba, the duo had procured two new Toyota Camry vehicles at the cost of $116,000, which were allegedly obtained with Covid-19 donations by a businessman and footballer.

He said the vehicles were bought at a time when the Hospital is in a dire economic situation.

He revealed that all of the Hospital’s escalators had broken down except those in the B block, and some staff bonuses had also not been paid.

“We were told in the performance review by the Chief Executive that all directorates of the hospital have incurred losses. Cumulative losses of these directorates according to him was in the region of GH¢6.2 million.

“If we were in such a difficulty, where else did they get the money to buy those vehicles if not the Covid-19 funds?” he said.

He is also asking CHRAJ to probe the Medical Director, Prof. Baafour Kofi Opoku, over abuse of public office for allowing his wife to drive and crash one of these new vehicles.

Speaking to LuvNews, Mr. Akyireba said he’s willing to support a CHRAJ investigation with evidence to prove these vehicles were bought with Covid-19 donations to the Hospital.

“I’m offering my head on the chopping block; they can chop my head for this. The Medical Director gave our official vehicle, one of the luxurious vehicles, to his wife and the wife got an accident with it. I feel that constitutes an abuse of public office, it also constitutes a betrayal of the trust of the public,” he said.

However, lawyers for the KATH CEO in a response to reports in some radio stations and newspapers said the allegations are untrue.