News
Pedestrians violate road safety rules in Tamale
Pedestrians along the Tamale-Bolgatanga interchange are persistently violating road safety regulations, despite several interventions by the Urban Road and Road Safety Authority.
Following the March 2022 inauguration of the interchange, the Road Safety Authority and the Urban Roads Department identified wrongful crossing points of the road by some pedestrian near the interchange, prompting the installation of a concrete barricade.
But The Ghanaian Times’ has observed that the measure has not curbed the menace.
In interviews, some of the pedestrians cited the distance to the nearest crossing point as a reason for disregarding the barricade.
Some of them conveyed a lack of awareness regarding the significance or intended purpose of the barricade.
Nevertheless, they acknowledged the danger of crossing to the opposite side due to the potential risk of collisions with vehicles using the interchange.
The Northern Regional Director of the Department of Urban Roads, Ing. Kwasi A. Darku, in an interview with The Spectator, said the instalment of the barricade was mainly to stop motorists and pedestrians from using the authorised ways, but they are still ignoring it.
He said several pedestrians have been knocked down by cars leading to death, but people were still ignoring the danger.
“We have provided appropriate route for pedestrians to use, but they still refuse to cross the busy high way,” he said.
Ing. Darku appealed to the Metropolitan Assembly and other authorities in charge to initiate an awareness campaign to educate road users on road regulations to protect themselves from crashes.
The Northern Regional Director of the National Road Safety Authority, Alhaji Abdulai Bawa Ghamsah, also said, the authority after several reports initiated the use of the concrete barricade.
The Director of the Road Safety Authority also said, the department is leading a road safety campaign dubbed “Stay Alive!”
He stated that the department would intensify educational campaigns and engage stakeholders concerning road safety.
From Geoffrey Butah & Paul Mwapouri, Tamale
News
Minister of Health appeals to Tamale Teaching Hospital striking doctors
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has appealed to the striking doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to calll off the suspension and come to the negotiation table.
However, he refused to apologise as demanded by the striking doctors.
The doctors after a meeting yesterday have withdrawn emergency services following the dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital.
This follows an unannounced visit to the hospital by the Minister on Tuesday.
The Minister made the appeal when addressing the media in Accra on Today, April 24 2025.
According to him, dialogue is the only way out to resolve the issue, adding that he was ready collaborate with them.
“I am prepared for us to come around the table and discuss whatever we need to discuss,” Mr Akandoh said.
“My humble appeal to my wonderful medical doctors and health professionals at Tamale Teaching Hospital is that I am the first person to take care of your interests. Therefore, let’s call off the strike and let’s all regroup and strategise going forward,” he concluded.
News
Health Minister donates medical equipment to Tamale Teaching Hospital, pledges commitment to reforms
The Minister for Health Kwabena Miintah Akandoh has reiterated government’s commitment to address long-standing challenges in the health sector, describing the health system as one that requires urgent reform and collective responsibility.
He made these remarks during a donation of some essential medical equipment and supplies to the Tamale Teaching Hospital on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
The donation included a wide range of equipment such as ECG machines, ICU ventilators, cardiac monitors, anesthesia machines, infant incubators, and essential
Consumables amounting to about 35 items.
Among the items highlighted were
Emergency Health Equipment (EHE) sets, nebulizer sets, and medical-grade towels.
The Health Minister acknowledged the difficult working conditions health professionals continue to endure and emphasized that government efforts alone would not be enough to resolve systemic issues.
He called for unity across the health sector and urged all stakeholders, including medical doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, to work together to ensure that the country’s limited resources are used efficiently.
He noted that the wellbeing of the ordinary Ghanaian should be central to healthcare delivery, cautioning against practices that marginalize the underprivileged due to resource scarcity. According to him, every Ghanaian life is valuable, and the system must reflect that belief in both policy and practice.
Mr.Akandoh stressed that his leadership approach is rooted in humility, collaboration, and respect for all health workers. While acknowledging that change may come with challenges, he maintained that cooperation is key to achieving lasting improvements in the sector.
The Minister pleaded with health professionals in the Tamale Teaching Hospital to call off the strike and regroup to strategize on more effective ways to address their concerns through dialogue and collaboration with relevant authorities.
The donation to the Tamale Teaching Hospital forms part of a broader national initiative to modernize medical infrastructure and enhance service delivery in Ghana’s healthcare.
