News
KBTH maternity lift breakdown: Pregnant woman dies
Korle BuTeaching Hospital
Patients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) have expressed frustration and fear at the breakdown of the Maternity Block lift, which has claimed the life of a pregnant woman.
According to a reliable source, the pregnant woman lost her life a few months ago when she was being transferred to the theater for treatment of excessive bleeding.
“Ideally, the woman would have been transferred to the theater on a stretcher but because the lifts are not working, she was carried in a wheelchair, which led to the unfortunate incident,” the source disclosed.
A visit to the hospital by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) saw women in labour as well as nursing mothers, undergoing casarean sessions, trek the six-storey maternity block staircases for daily care because the lift has failed to work for months.
The Maternity Block lift, installed in 2011, has over the years witnessed occasional breakdowns but for months now it has stopped working completely, causing so much frustration to patients, visitors and healthcare professionals.
The source disclosed that the lift was the major cause of frustration and danger in their system of work and needed to be changed completely to enhance work and safeguard the lives of pregnant women during emergencies.
“The maternity block lift has become archaic and needs a new one because it gets fixed and becomes faulty again not long after”, according to the source.
Madam Selassie Dorkenoo, a heavily pregnant woman, who was visiting her doctor on the fifth floor, in an interaction with the GNA, could not hide how tired she was, climbing the stairs all the way to the fifth floor.
“I can’t imagine going back the same way I came after my consultation,” she added.
Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, like most public institutions in Ghana, has a poor maintenance culture fed with poor planning. —GNA
News
New BoG governor can’t engage in official duties – Afenyo-Markin to Mahama
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin has raised concerns over the assumption of official duties by Dr. Johnson Asiamah as Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
The former Deputy Governor was recently nominated by President John Dramani, on January 31, 2025, to serve as Governor, pending approval by the Council of State.
This follows a formal request by the current Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, to proceed on leave ahead of his retirement on March 31, 2025.
However, in a letter to President Mahama dated February 4, Minority Leader raised serious concerns with Dr. Asiamah’s assumption of office in the absence of the Council of State.
“Your Excellency, it is my considered view that Dr. Johnson Asiamah should refrain from engaging in official duties at the Bank of Ghana until his nomination has been duly approved by the Council of State. While awaiting confirmation, he can seek any necessary briefings outside the formal assumption of office,” the letter noted.
He added, “I trust that due attention will be given to this matter to uphold the integrity of our institutional processes.”
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Read full statement below
News
Bagbin lifts suspension of four MPs
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has lifted the suspension of four Members of Parliament (MPs) who were suspended after a clash during the vetting session on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
The altercation occurred between Minority and Majority MPs, escalating tensions in Parliament. The disagreement reached a peak after the suspension of the four MPs, triggering a debate over whether the vetting should proceed on January 31, 2025.
Following the suspension, the Minority MPs walked out, leaving only the Majority to continue with the vetting of nominees, including that of MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who had already undergone several hours of questioning by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The lifting of the suspension comes after a review of the incident. The four MPs – Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Jerry Ahmed Shaib and Alhassan Tampuli – are now expected to resume their parliamentary duties as normal. The move seeks to restore order in Parliament following the disruptions.
This was after both the majority leader and minority leader appealed to the Speaker of Parliament to lift the ban on the four MPs.
Alban Bagbin said, “So I have lifted the suspension order. I do so instantly and takes effect immediately. The affected Hon. Members are permitted now to enter the precincts of the house. I must say they actually complied with the orders.”
He assured that the investigations will continue, and the House will have the opportunity to make a decision.
He commended the security agencies for their support.
Source : Citinewsroom.com
