Impasse Between Dormaahene, Presby Church To Be Resolved

Some prominent citizens and other stakeholders have offered to mediate in the impasse between the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) and the Dormaa Traditional Council over the security of the General Manager of the Presbyterian Hospital in Dormaa Ahenkro, Mr Effah-Yeboah. In an interview, the Legal Officer and acting Public Relations Officer of the PCG, Reverend George Obeng-Agyei, however, did not give the names of the prominent citizens and the stakeholders who had decided to mediate in the dispute for its amicable settlement. Rev Obeng-Agyei said the church had no problem with the Dormaahene and respected traditional authorities, adding that the church did not want to engage in any protracted dispute with traditional leaders, since the church stood for peace. In that regard, he said the church had accepted the offer by those prominent citizens and the stakeholders to mediate in the impasse. He expressed the hope that the issues would be resolved amicably. Background The Dormaahene is said to have given an order to Mr Effah-Yeboah to leave Dormaa Ahenkro by Monday, February 24, 2014 when he sat in state between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Monday, February 17, 2014. He is also said to have dissolved the Area Board of the Presbyterian Health Service in the Brong-Ahafo Region on the basis that he, as the paramount chief, ought to be the automatic chairman of that board. He further directed that the Aduanahene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, Barima Yeboah Kodie II, should henceforth be the Chairman of the Area Board in his stead. Anger According to a source at the Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital, the anger of the traditional authorities might have stemmed from the decision by the hospital to construct a new mortuary, instead of relying on the services of a mortuary which was built by the traditional authorities about 10 years ago. It said by arrangements, the mortuary built by the traditional authorities was supposed to give part of its revenue to the hospital. Unfortunately, after the arrangements had been respected for some time, the managers of the mortuary discontinued the periodic payment of revenue to the hospital. Following the completion of the hospital�s mortuary in December 2013, the people of Dormaa and other communities began patronising the services of the new mortuary, instead of the old one. The situation seemed not to have gone down well with the managers of the old mortuary, who perceived the decision of the hospital to build a new mortuary without authorisation as a sign of disrespect to the traditional authorities. No locus Meanwhile, the authorities of the Presbyterian Health Services Directorate have stated that the Dormaahene had no locus to dissolve the hospital�s board as had been constituted by the church. They said the board was still in place and ensuring the running of the hospital to meet the health needs of the people. Efforts to reach the Dormaahene or any member of the Dormaa Traditional Council to comment on the issue proved futile. When contacted, the Health Services Co-ordinator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Mr Sam Sarpong-Appiah, said the board of the hospital was meeting to discuss the issue and determine the next line of action.