The National Service Scheme Director in the Ashanti Region, who has been caught in the middle of a verbal altercation he had with a nurse at the Manhyia Hospital in the Ashanti Region, has issued an apology.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) in a statement dated yesterday, Tuesday, November 29, 2022, had called for Alex Opoku-Mensah’s dismissal with immediate effect, insisting he has no business holding any position in public service for exhibiting such an uncouth conduct.
The management of the National Service Scheme, has also waded into the matter. It condemned his action and disclosed that it has begun investigations into the alleged attacks on the nurse by the Ashanti Regional Director of the NSS.
This, follows a viral audio in which Opoku-Mensah, the NSS director, was captured on tape verbally attacking and abusing a staff nurse at the Manhyia District Hospital in the Ashanti Region.
In the audio recording of the incident, Mr Poku-Mensah is heard hurling insults and threats at the nurse for allegedly intimidating his daughter, who is a house officer at the hospital.
According to multiple reports, the said nurse is said to have called Mr Poku Mensah’s daughter on phone to inform her about the need for her to return to the facility to update a patient’s record on the hospital’s patient management system.
Others have claimed that the trainee medical doctor, prescribed wrong medication for a patient and the nurse called her to come back to the hospital to correct the medication for the patient.
But the regional NSS director, in the company of his daughter, stormed the hospital to accuse the nurse of intimidation.
In the audio recording, the angry NSS director is heard raining insults on the nurse, describing her as an unqualified nurse who gained admission into nursing training school through sexual favours.
In an apology shared on his Facebook page, Alex Poku-Mensah, stated that what happened was not his style, however, it is obvious the only reason he has issued the apology is because he was captured on tape.
“I understand the disappointment and appreciate the inconvenience my action has caused the general public as well as the nursing fraternity and Manhyia Hospital.
“This has never been my style but for a genuine reason to mediate a persistent issue between my daughter (doctor) and a colleague nurse who I as well consider my daughter,” he wrote.
He described what happened as a ‘mishap’ and asked for forgiveness.
“I do apologize for any mishap and assure all, there shall not be a repetition of such. I look forward to maintaining a cordial relationship between any affected person,” he added.
Mr. Poku Mensah, in a heated exchange with the nurse, is heard verbally attacking her while touting his position and threatening to transfer the nurse from the hospital.
“If she does anything, come and inform me; I will use my power to ensure she is removed from here. I’ve introduced myself; I am the National Service Regional Director,” Mr. Opoku is heard shouting at the nurse.
The nurse in return is heard saying, “do you also know me? Do you know my father?” To which a furious Mr. Opoku retorted, saying, “Fool, does the work belong to your father?”
According to the GRNMA, the conduct of the Regional NSS Director at the Manhyia Hospital makes him unfit to occupy the position.
The association has warned that it will recall the services of its members at the hospital if the government fails to heed the demand for his dismissal within 72 hours.
“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.
“As a Director, he should have known that Manhyia District Hospital had a Medical Superintendent and a Nurse Manager under whom the nurse works and if indeed he had any complaint to make, they were the people he should have engaged and not to go to the hospital and fight the nurse on behalf of his daughter.
“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.”
Management of the National Service Scheme says it has begun investigations into the alleged attacks on a nurse by the Ashanti Regional Director of the Scheme, Alex Opoku-Mensah.
“The Management has, since the development, invited the officer for preliminary investigations into the incident, management of the NSS said in a statement on Tuesday.
The management of the scheme has condemned the incident and reiterated its commitment to get to the bottom of the matter as it investigates the official involved.
“The public will be updated accordingly,” said the NSS statement.
