Accusations & Counter Accusations At Korle Bu ...But Health Ministry Gives Conflicting Answers

The Board, management and staff of the Korle Teaching Hospital, are hurling accusations and counter accusation at each other, over the administration of the hospital, but what is shocking is the conflicting answers from the Ministry, particularly on the purchase of some vehicles by the State hospital. While, the board and management talk about the insertion of the over 200 ghost name on the staff payroll through which monies are siphoned into private pockets, the Senior Staff Association of the hospital, has also petitioned President John Mahama to investigate the alleged mismanagement of hospital funds by the board and management of the hospital, and the spending of GH�1 million on luxury vehicles. Board Chairman of the hospital, Edward Annan, revealed to Joy News that more than 200 ghost names were discovered after a head count of staff and said the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Ghana Police Service are investigating suspected ghost bank accounts at the Hospital. Management of the hospital claim that a cartel have created the ghost bank accounts to loot the hospital. Mr. Annan, explained that the BNI and police, were called in because management suspects more of such cliques are still receiving salaries from the hospital even though they do not work there. �I think the Accountant General�s department, has also been given a report on the names. I think some of them [ghost names] have been taken out, but we are still looking for more,� he said. The Board and Management of Ghana�s premier teaching hospital ,made the news recently when senior staff accused them of mismanageming funds, meant for the hospital�s infrastructural improvement. The Senior Staff Association, has followed their allegations with a petition to President John Dramani Mahama. They said, the management of the hospital is misapplying the Internally Generated Funds to buy VW Passats. However, the Health Ministry, has rebuffed the allegations. The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ministry, Tony Goodman, has explained that the Ministry provided the cars under a hire-purchase agreement, which was available to any staff or institution under the ministry. In what appears to be conflicting answers, the same Tony Goodman, said the Health Ministry would direct the Management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to return the nine vehicles it claims to have purchased for the hospital without the approval of the Health Minister. Tony Goodman, has told Citi News that the hospital management has been given a two-week ultimatum to respond to the petition. Mr. Goodman, clarified that the sector Minister was not aware of Korle Bu�s purchase of the nine vehicles. According to him, the hospital management �went through the process, but they short-changed some of the processes. It did not go to the sector Minister to get the formal approval�� If the procedure, had been followed to the latter, the sector Minister, Mr. Goodman said, would have had to send the documents to the Finance Minister for approval because �it is government money.� He remarked that government has and was still making a lot of investments in the hospital, therefore, it is heartbreaking to know that the hospital�s internally generated funds are allegedly being mismanaged. �If the IGF [Internally Generated Funds] is used without the knowledge of government, then we think we are not being fair to government.� The Ministry said, the hospital�s authorities failed to go through approved procedures to acquire the vehicles. The board Chair, Edward Annan, on Wednesday, denied the allegations and explained that �the Board took a decision to give directors and deputy directors cars. Before this decision was taken, the previous Board had given directors cars, the institution paying 60 percent of them and the individuals paying 40 percent of that�.