Prime News Ghana

Address our concerns or face our wrath, Pantang hospital staff warn gov’t

By Anny Osabutey & Kwabena Owusu-Ampratwum
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Halidu Yakubu, bespectacled, clinches the fist and punches the air several times, as he leads chants of “yeni abre, yeni abre koo” literally translates; “our eyes are red and they are really red.”

Mr. Yakubu, a laboratory technician at the Pantang hospital, was one of several nurses and senior officers, who defied pleas from management of the hospital to rescind their decision to boycott their operations over a land dispute, which an Accra court has ruled against them.  Scores of patients who visited the hospital on Monday were turned away as a result of the strike, leaving relatives who accompanied their wards to the place frustrated. The nurses and other workers say they will not resume work until assurances are given to them the encroached lands will be given back to them.

Yakubu is livid government is not taking the necessary action to safeguard the future of the hospital

 

Hundreds of acres of lands have been taken over by developers who are briskly putting up plush apartments for sale. During an inspection tour with reporters to some of the sites, Mr. Yakubu, who was visibly frustrated by the court’s decision, pointed these reporters to what used to be a forest area which has been mowed by a private developers and several blocks piled on the bare land.

Private developers have already started putting up structures on the land

“This place used to be green with trees and especially in the night when the weather is calm, you hear the sounds of birds chirping,” he told us. “How can you destroy the green vegetation in the name of putting up houses, why?”

He warned they will be compelled to take drastic measures to savage the remaining lands left if the authorities do not step in and address their concerns.

“We are sending this message to the authorities to come to our aid, if not so, we are going to continue with our sit down strike,” he said.

Mr. Yakubu, who was flanked by other staff members, gesturing with his hand in an angry manner, said they will be resuming work on Monday but if nothing is heard from the authorities, they will hit the street and nobody will stop them.”

“From tomorrow tomorrow next (Tuesday and Wednesday) we are going to hit the streets, (there) will be massive demonstration on the street.”

The workers are in support of calls for a demonstration on Wednesday if the concerns are not addressed.

The Pantang hospital was established in 1975 by the government at the time to provide an alternative support to the main Accra Psychiatric hospital, but years of neglect means the facility has left without any serious infrastructure support.

The latest case of encroachment is one of several issues confronting the hospital at this time.

Watch Yakubu vent out his frustrations.

 CLICK TO WATCH

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