The Ashanti Regional Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Mr. Alex Opoku Mensah who verbally abused a nurse at the Manhyia Government Hospital in Kumasi has been suspended for two months without pay.
This is the recommendation of a committee of enquiry that was set up by the NSS National Secretariat following the incident in November last year.
A letter addressed to him personally, Mr. Opoku Mensah, said after the suspension he was required to “report to the Head Office to work under supervision.”
The letter was dated 23rd December 2022 and was signed by Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, Executive Director of the National Service Scheme. It was copied to the Minister of Education, the Ashanti Regional Minister, the Head of Public Service Commission and the Board of Directors.
Mr. Opoku Mensah was also directed to issue an official apology to the National Service Scheme within seven days of receiving the suspension letter for “bringing the name of the Scheme into disrepute”.
The committee that recommended his suspension comprised representatives from the National Service Scheme, the Public Services Commission, and the Ministry of Education.
Mr. Opoku-Mensah was caught on tape insulting a nurse who is reported to have called his daughter (who is a doctor at the hospital) concerning a patient’s prescription.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives’ Association issued a statement demanding the dismissal of Alex Poku Mensah within 72 hours. The Association threatened to ask their members at Manhyia Hospital to lay down their tools, which would be scaled up to the national level if their demand is not met.
The later rescinded their threat following the intervention of other stakeholders.
Mr. Opuku Mensah, himself, issued a public apology on Facebook when the secret recording went viral on social media.
“I do apologise for any mishap and assure all, there shall not be a repetition of such.”
According to him, “this has never been my style but for a genuine reason to mediate a persistent issue between my daughter(Doctor) and a colleague nurse who I as well consider my daughter”.
“I understand the disappointment and appreciate the inconvenience my action has caused the public as well as the Nursing Fraternity and Manhyia Hospital,” the post also said.