The management of Korle – Bu Teaching Hospital fines itself in a limbo as it struggles to retrieve GH¢ 51,000 it wrongfully paid to the former Chief Administrator of the hospital, as her retirement package.
Although they have been presented with the option to proceed to court by the former Chief Administrator of the hospital, Prof. Afua Hesse, the management dreads incurring additional cost of litigating the case in court to recover amount.
The fear of the cost is holding management back from proceeding to court, and it is currently seeking inexpensive options.
Addressing members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Chief Executive Officer of Korle – Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Daniel Asare admitted that the management was not keen on pursuing the case through the litigation since doing so would produce additional financial burden on the hospital.
He, therefore, requested the committee to advice on how to proceed in retrieving the money.
The Chief Executive also informed the Committee that the management has requested advice from the Attorney-General’s Department, on how pursue the money without court litigation.
The Auditor General in it 2016 report revealed how the previous management of the Teaching Hospital awarded a retirement package of GH¢ 51,000 and a saloon car to a former Chief Administrator of the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Prof. Afia Hesse without the approval of the Health Minister.
According to the Auditor-General, the practice was in breach of Section 37 (6) of the Ghana Health Service Act on retirement packages.
Prof. Afia Hesse has since returned the car but has refused to refund the GH¢ 51,000, and has challenged the hospital to go to court to retrieve the money.
By: Benjamin Nana Appiah
