Punishment meted out to Ashanti Regional NSS boss is deterrent enough – NSS

The Director of Public Affairs Unit of the National Service Scheme (NSS) , Mr Armstrong Esaah, says the punishment meted out to the Ashanti Regional NSS boss, Alex Opoku Mensah, following his abuse of a nurse at the Manhyia Government Hospital is deterrent enough  to stop others from doing same.

“In the wisdom of the Investigative committee, coupled with the analysis done by the management and board of the Scheme, we are so convinced that, the punishment is strong enough to restrain both high and low ranking officials of NSS from doing same”, he said.

Speaking on the Kumasi based OTEC 102.9 FM’s morning show “Nyansapo”, on Thursday January 5, 2023 hosted by Captain Koda, Mr Armstrong Esaah told the host, “The board of NSS had every right to reject parts of the recommendation and make the necessary arrangements but the board saw the punishment as equally good for the offence Mr Alex Opoku Mensah committed”.

Offence

Mr Opoku-Mensah is said to have verbally abused a nurse over the manner in which a nurse at the Manhyia Government Hospital in the Ashanti Region spoke with his daughter who is also a doctor at the facility.

The nurse had called the house officer to amend a prescription because what the latter had prescribed was unavailable at the pharmacy.

The house doctor is reported to have taken offence at how the nurse spoke with her, and thus protested.

The situation took a different dimension after Mr Opoku Mensah who happens to be the father of the young doctor went to the hospital and ended up abusing the nurse verbally.

Punishment

Following the incident, the National Service Scheme has suspended Mr Alex Opoku Mensah has been suspended two months without pay.

This was after a committee assigned to investigate the matter completed and submitted its report to the management.

GRNMA Outcry

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association GRNMA who had earlier vowed to trigger an industrial action over the issue if Mr Alex Opoku-Mensah goes unpunished stated they are not happy with the decision of the NSS board.

The have however explained that, they will take the decision in a good faith and will continue to work for the nation.

Meanwhile Mr Armstrong Esaah said the Management of NSS upon extensive deliberations have also decided to transfer Mr Opoku Mensah to the National Headquarters of NSS for him to work under supervision until he has a change of attitude.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boateng