…Goes curiously silent on KATH Medical Doctors eviction matter
The Asante overlord, remarkable for his no-nonsense approach to national issues, including illegal mining, economic challenges, and governments’ underperformance among others, is curiously quiet on reports that his outfit, Manhyia Palace, is sacking some health professionals and administrators from state bungalows assigned them by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi (KATH).
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s name, along with that of Manhyia, is circulating in connection with a yet-to-be-seen Supreme Court judgement purportedly returning some 400 acres of government land in Danyame, a prime suburb of Kumasi to them.
This area accommodates nearly 60 medical consultants, specialists, and health administrators from KATH, Also in the enclave are soldiers and other public servants. However, the traditional ruler, has yet to address these allegations publicly, not even his usual press statements.
The Herald, has picked up a report that the Asantehene in private discussions, has professed innocence regarding the matter.
His alleged innocence, had some credence on Thursday, as no agent of his was at a meeting between the officials of KATH and the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council led by the Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah.
The Danyame-Nhyiaeso area, akin to Accra’s Ridge and Cantonments areas, is Kumasi’s largest state land enclave, but since 2018, there have been allegations of the reassignment of the state-owned lands in the area to private owners, primarily associated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
This has led to the displacement of long-standing government workers and High Court judges, who have received eviction notices without alternative arrangements.
The land is bordered on the north by the old military barracks and officers’ mess to the TUC area at the southern end. It is mostly inhabited by senior government workers from various ministries, including Ministry of Health (MOH) staff, KATH and Ghana Health Service (GHS) staff.
The occupants of the state bungalows, started getting notices that the lands on which they reside have new owners and that they would have to relocate.
A lot of the houses, have already been pulled down, and very expensive apartments constructed. Some of the houses pulled down used to be occupied by High Court judges.
The rest of the doctors remaining in these bungalows, that they pay rent for and do periodic maintenance on, started receiving eviction notices and threats of forced eviction without alternative arrangements.
This Kumasi state land grab was given an executive blessing by President Nana Akufo-Addo, when he wrote an executive instrument returning the government enclave to Mahyia, similar to the controversial scheme involving the Achimota Forest where the government through the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry, tried to give away the Achimota Forest by issuing an instrument to return part of the forest to a certain Owu family.
Other sources have also suggested to The Herald that, the Kumasi land matter is rather an awkward land grab with the politicians from the governing NPP deeply ingrained.
Some also argue that development is part of the general land-grabbing project which started in the Kufuor era and continued since 2017 and 2018 under the Akufo-Addo administration.
The late Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie alias Sir John, ex-General Secretary of NPP, also accentuated it when he took charge of the Forestry Commission.
Reports that a new Goil Filling Station at Ahodwo roundabout a suburb of Kumasi sitting on a huge land belonging to the Forestry Commission, opposite the Georgia hotel was given away by Sir John to his tribe’s man from the Kwabre area, under the pretext that National Bureau of Investigation (NIB) former the Bureau of National Investigations (NIB), wanted the land to put up a clinic.
Not long after, the Forestry Commission land at Ahodwo Adiebeba, next to Ahodwo roundabout, became a private Goil Filling Station, with an adjacent plot about to be developed into another commercial facility.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, had dropped the name of the Otumfuo as the brain behind the eviction of the medical doctors, when he countered claims by the medical doctors who had declared a strike action, after accusing the Akufo-Addo government of selling the land where their bungalows are located to private developers.
But the Regional Minister, denied land has been sold to private developers, but rather part of the properties ruled on by the court to be returned to the Ashanti stool, following a case won by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Manhyia Palace.
Details of the said Court case; the plaintiff and the defendants, judgment date, and lawyers are not known.
Suspiciously, at last Thursday’s meeting according to Kwame Frimpong, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of KATH, the private developers who had served the eviction notices on the medical doctors and the hospital administrators, were absent.
Interestingly, the Regional Coordinating Council led by Simon Osei Mensah, went ahead promising to find accommodation to relocate the medical doctors and the administration to enable the private developers and the Otumfuo to have access to the land which had been in the name of the state for many years.
On Thursday, the management of KATH, said it was engaging with the leadership of the medical doctors at the facility to resolve the land issues which have led to a strike at the facility.
Doctors of the Hospital on Wednesday, March 13, began a strike in solidarity with their colleagues who are being ejected from their official residences.
A notice of eviction was served on the affected doctors about a year ago, but no alternative accommodation had been found by the management of KATH for the doctors.
Last week, a one-week ultimatum was issued to the affected doctors to vacate the area to enable the private developers to take over the land. This has led to the impasse between the doctors and the management of the hospital.
Dr Michael Leat, Chairman of KATH branch of the Ghana Medical Association, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the continued intimidation and harassment by the private developer had occasioned the strike action by the doctors.
He said the management of KATH had not yet given alternative accommodation to about 20 doctors who had been asked to vacate the area.
In solidarity with the affected doctors, their colleague doctors have joined them in the strike. However, the strike only affected new cases coming to the Hospital while old cases are being attended to.
Mr Kwame Frimpong, told the GNA during a visit to the facility that management was aware of the situation and was taking steps to resolve and address the concerns of the doctors.
He said several meetings had been held with the leadership of the association to plead with them to exercise restraints in line with their duty.
Mr Frimpong, said management was currently engaging the Regional Coordinating Council, the Lands Commission, and the private developers for an amicable settlement of the issue.
Some of the patients who spoke with the GNA recounted how they were disappointed after trekking several hours, only to meet the absence of doctors at the facility. They appealed to the Hospital authorities to urgently find a solution to the problem.
Health professionals, including senior doctors, at KATH had accused the government of selling the land where their bungalows are located to private developers.
Dr Michael Leat, revealed that around 30 doctors, including specialists and heads of departments, along with other professionals like hospital administrators, police, and military personnel, have been given a one-week ultimatum to vacate their bungalows.
But the Ashanti Regional Minister, countered these claims, stating that the land was not sold to private developers, but is part of the properties ruled by the court to be returned to the Ashanti stool, following a case won by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Manhyia Palace.
In an interview with Adom FM on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, Dr Leat, acknowledged their awareness of the land being sold, but emphasized that they expected to be relocated only, if alternative housing was provided.
Speaking in an interview with Adom FM on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, Dr Leat, said that even though they were aware that the said land had been sold to private developers, there was an understanding that they would only be moved if alternative housing was provided.
He expressed concern that, as of now, neither the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association nor the Accommodation Committee of Komfo Anokye, has been informed about any alternative housing for the affected staff.
“For about a year now doctors, hospital administrators and commanders living at Danyame have known that the land we were staying on had been sold to private developers. But we resolved that until they get a place for our doctors, no doctor should move.
“Only for them to come and tell us yesterday (Monday, March 11, 2024) that they have given us one week to find somewhere to go and live.
He added, “As it stands now, as the chairman of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association, nobody has told us that they have a place for us to relocate to. And also, as a member of the Accommodation Committee of Okomfo Anokye, there is nothing like an alternative for the doctors and other affected staff”.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, also in an interview on Adom FM, reiterated that the land was subject to a court ruling for return to the Ashanti stool.
He clarified that the doctors had been given notice for over a year to vacate the premises for the land to be returned to the Ashanti stool.
The conflicting narratives between the health professionals and the regional minister, raise questions about the ongoing situation and the future housing arrangements for the affected individuals, most of whom are already leaving the shores of Ghana to seek greener pastures abroad.
