Kwaku Agyeman-Manu
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has been directed to ensure the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital is completely fenced following agitation by workers over encroachment of the Hospital’s land.
A release, issued by the National Labour Commission (NLC) and signed by the Executive Secretary, Ofosu Asamoah, said the fence wall should be completed within the next two months beginning July 8, 2021.
This follows an industrial action embarked upon by the staff of the facility to protest the encroachment of the hospital’s lands and attacks on them by unknown assailants.
The workers insisted that they would not return to work until the hospital is 80 per cent fenced, hence the directive of the NLC to the overseeing Agency, MoH.
The NLC, after a meeting with the leadership of the staff, urged the MoH to construct the fence wall within two months while the Ministry of Interior provides security for the staff in the interim.
It also ordered the staff of the hospital to resume work immediately as the relevant institutions work on the other directives given.
“The Ministry of Interior, National Security and the Municipal Security Committee should provide Pantang Hospital with the requisite adequate security to ensure a working environment,” it stated.
It further called on the MoH, Management of Pantang Hospital, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and a representative from National Security to hold a meeting to discuss the way forward.
It concluded by indicating that all “parties are to report to the commission on 4th August 2021.”
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri