The Presidency has received a petition from a group calling for an investigation into alleged indiscriminate misappropriation and violations of procurement laws at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
They argue that Professor Otchere Addai-Mensah has shown incompetence in hospital management and thus should be removed from his position.
In a six-page petition signed by their leader Lawyer Kwame Adofo, the petitioners, who are staff members of the hospital, have delineated several reasons for advocating for the swift removal of Professor Otchere Addai-Mensah from his position as Chief Executive Officer.
According to the petitioners, Professor Addai-Mensah has unequivocally demonstrated a lack of the good character necessary to serve as the Chief Executive of the hospital.
They allege that on July 4th, 2023, Professor Addai-Mensah signed a cheque for One Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢100,000) claiming it was for preparations and documentation related to engagements with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). However, an investigation by the Chronicle Newspaper published on October 13th, 2023, revealed no evidence of such engagements.
Additionally, on the same day, Professor Addai-Mensah signed another cheque for Eighty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢80,000) for reasons similar to the first cheque.
Furthermore, on August 14th, 2023, Professor Addai-Mensah signed a cheque for One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢120,000) for a purported meeting with key health leaders in Accra, which the petitioners claim never took place.
The petitioners argue that these withdrawals were conducted unlawfully, bypassing the hospital’s regular payment processes.
Moreover, they accuse Professor Addai-Mensah of using Prince Ankomah Kissi, a Deputy Chief Accountant at the Obstetric & Gynecology (O&G) Department, as a conduit to siphon hospital funds. They claim that contracts have been awarded to Prince Ankomah Kissi’s enterprise, Prinky Star Enterprise, totaling over Three Hundred and Forty Thousand Cedis (GH¢340,000), and paid promptly while other suppliers wait for months or even years for payment.
It’s the case of the petitioners that Professor Addai-Mensah has improperly utilized the name of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to solicit funds for the hospital’s renovation project, “Heal Komfo Anokye,” without providing any account of the funds to the KATH Board.
They also accuse the CEO of creating an account under the name “Heal Komfo Anokye” with himself as a signatory, in violation of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
They claim further that Professor Addai-Mensah received a per diem of Six Thousand and Ninety Dollars ($6090) for a trip, and attempted to withdraw One million, Five Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Cedis (GH¢1,575,000) from the KATH Pool Account, which they allege was intended for the Primary Health Care Investment Program.
The petitioners urge the President to carefully consider their petition before the hospital’s funds are further depleted.
Source: Newsghana