Appointment of NDC 2024 parliamentary candidate as Tamale Teaching Hospital CEO sparks controversy
President Mahama’s swift appointment of Dr. Abubakar Bawah Abdulai — an NDC parliamentary candidate for 2024 — as the new CEO of Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) has stirred serious debate, especially coming just a day after the abrupt dismissal of Dr. Adam Atiku.
The shakeup follows a heated visit by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who stormed the hospital unannounced on Monday.
His inspection uncovered shocking lapses — broken ventilators, faulty MRI and diagnostic machines, and patients being referred to private facilities due to the lack of basic equipment.
Things hit a boiling point when the Minister, visibly upset, confronted staff over the death of a patient allegedly caused by the lack of a working ventilator.
“A life has been lost—that’s why this must be exposed!” he declared during a tense exchange.
Now, with staff fuming over both leadership changes and what they call disrespectful treatment, the hospital is under pressure — and so is the new CEO.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has expressed strong disapproval of the treatment of doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) during a visit by the Minister of Health, Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North.
In a statement, the GMA condemned the actions that led to the dismissal of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), describing the manner in which it was carried out as an abuse of power and an affront to due process.
The GMA indicated that the decision to dismiss the CEO was unjust and called for accountability from the Minister of Health, whom they accused of overstepping boundaries.
They also stated their full support for the doctors involved, asserting that the situation was deeply concerning for the entire medical community.
In addition, the GMA raised serious concerns about a media audit that followed a patient’s death at the hospital.
According to the association, the media’s handling of the situation breached patient confidentiality and exposed the hospital to potential legal risks.
They criticised the rush to judgment and public condemnation of the doctors before a proper investigation had been conducted, noting that the doctors had already been tried and found guilty in the court of public opinion.
