Transfer of Health Training Institution Principles; Is it biased and selectively called for by the Health Minister and his friends, or does it fit with the President’s reset agenda? – Health Researcher cross-Questioned.

 

As a health consultant and fervent supporter of the NDC, I have closely monitored the comments regarding the recent transfer of principals of health training institutions. I believe it is essential to call attention to pressing issues from the leadership. Every area of the economy needs to be reset, in my opinion, but it should be done objectively and without prejudice.

The health minister requested cabinet approval for the mass transfer, according to my sources, but did the cabinet also approve of its biassed execution? Both the Health Minister and the administration of the Health Training Institutions, which oversee all health colleges, have not visited any of the colleges to interact with the students and community members in the five months since we took office. What information or report, then, did the health minister use as the basis for the presentation to cabinet for approval?.

According to the information I have obtained, this choice is somewhat admirable but will not produce the desired outcomes because it will encounter strong opposition in most places, particularly from stakeholders and even some party members. The bias in this exercise, according to some, has negated the goal of these transfers.

“What criteria was used that left some of the principals out if the approval was for mass transfer”.

Of these, the health minister’s own constituency is the most obvious and has raised several red lights 🚩. Examine the attached transfer list, which shows that none of the principals were moved from the two schools (Sefwi Asafo and Sefwi Wiawso) in the Sefwi enclave, where the Hon. Minister is from. Despite not being transferred, the principal of Sefwi Asafo College of Health has been there for eight years, since 2017.

The principal of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Sefwi Asafo, who is not a nurse nor a midwife, was appointed by the health minister to serve as the nurses’ representative on the board. The current principal of Sefwi Wiawso NMTC, who was a native of Sefwi and a vice principal, was promoted to principal approximately a month ago after the Hon. Minister asked the then-principal, who had only been in his position for five months, to hand over to the current principal, who was the vice principal, because he is from Sefwi and close to the health minister.

Quite apart from that, almost 30 principals have been maintained and not transferred. The principal of Ankaful psychiatric nursing training college has been at post for about 10 years but was left out. The current principal of Sunyani NMTC who has retired but given 5 years extension has been transferred to Goaso and has also been made a board member of Sunyani Teaching Hospital.
This is a very disappointing development and it put the ministry of health in a bad light which affects the image of our government. Hon. Akandoh considering his constant criticism in opposition, I expected him to do better.

What is more worrying also is that the background of the principals were not taken into consideration. For instance, the Goaso principal who’s a male has been transferred to Yeji NMTC that offers midwifery which is a program offered by only females.

Colleges under CHAG were excluded, however some of the principals at these CHAG schools have been at post for so many years with some even retired but given extensions. A clear example is Monica Nkrumah who has retired but given 5 years extension and manages two schools (Berekum and Drobo) at the same time and still at post. Agogo principal who has also retired has been given 5 years extension and still at post.

Some schools are also newly community initiated schools that are yet to find their feet with no government intervention in terms of infrastructure. Some of the principals that started these schools together with the communities have laid down developmental plans that are gradually being executed to get the schools fully established so how will such schools survive with such principals being transferred especially when the schools are yet to fully find their feet. These new principals don’t know the genesis of the schools and such schools were supposed to be allowed some time to grow.

Transfers have some impact but the actual problem with most of these HTI is the attitude of some of these principals. The need a thorough workshop and training to help reform their attitudes and characters. The transfers will not change these attitudes of theirs but will move with them to their new schools and the problems will still persist.

In my candid opinion, these transfers were done in a haste and very bias manner that’s why one will wonder whether the Hon. Minister and allies are seeking vengeance on some principals or pursuing His Excellency John Dramani Mahama’s reset agenda. We are just 5 months into government and the HTI’s are not institutions occupied by politicians and we could have taken our time to do the transfers in batches after carefully visiting and engaging all the HTI’s to do critical analysis, assessment and consultations with all relevant stakeholders. It’s never too late, we can hold on with the transfers and do the needful or be ready for the resistance and backlash with its corresponding consequences on the schools.

We should also however expect that most of these affected schools especially newly established schools will move in reverse gear for some years before bouncing back. The agenda to reset is great but must be done with caution.

Dr. Haruna Alhassan
Health Researcher, Consultant and Analyst