Five vehicles believed to be in good conditions have mysteriously vanished from the Health Directorate’s fleet of vehicles, Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Kofi Issah, has revealed.
The worried health director disclosed this at the directorate’s 2016 mid-year performance review held at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. The review was under the theme: ‘Harnessing Human Resources for Effective Service Delivery; Focusing on Neonatal Health & Sub-District Health System’.
The five missing vehicles include one Toyota V8 land cruiser which would have served as an official vehicle for the regional health director. Also on list of the directorate’s missing vehicles are two pick-ups, one saloon car and a Mitsubishi Pajero.
According to Dr Issah, he is currently using the official vehicle of his deputy director in-charge of Clinical Care who is also using a pick-up meant for rapid response duties.
In line with administrative procedure, the regional director had informed the director general of the GHS and the Upper East Regional Minister, Albert Abongo, to advise the directorate on how to handle the situation.
“I’m somebody who follows procedure, so I’m waiting for their direction and if nothing is done, definitely the guidelines and policies of this country are there. We will then know what next step to take,” he added.
According to Dr Issah, the absence of the missing vehicles is affecting the work of the regional health directorate, especially in the area of rapid response and supervision.
A concerned staff of the directorate who pleaded to remain anonymous told the DAILY GUIDE that if only the leadership of the regional health directorate would be firm in their search and committed to the protection of public property, the vehicles can be found and returned to the directorate.
“These vehicles cannot be missing, I’m sure the big people only want to follow procedures to collect them back and that is why they have decided to report to the case to the director general and the regional minister to intervene. I’m sure they don’t want to use force,” the source said.
FROM Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga