NSS Regional Director Apologises For Verbally Assaulting Nurses And General Arts Students

The National Service Scheme (NSS) Director for the Ashanti Region, Alex Opoku-Mensah has apologised to the public, the nursing fraternity and the Manhyia Hospital for his action against a nurse.

It was reported that Alex Owusu Mensah, by-passed the hospital security with his political powers to assault, vilify, and threaten the Nurse on duty at the surgical department of the hospital.

In a viral audio, the man was captured saying he will use his political power to transfer the nurse in question from the hospital because the nurse had a phone confrontation with his daughter (A house Officer) who was supposed to be on duty but was nowhere to be found.

The nurse in an attempt to help a sick client called on the House officer to come and attend to the client’s need with some prescribed drugs.

This got the house Officer and her family angry and they subsequently visited the hospital to teach the nurse some lessons.

This led to the nurses raising concerns about their safety and they called on the government to sack Alex Opoku Mensah from his position over abuse of power.

In a Facebook post, Mr Opoku-Mensah said the modus operandi he employed in handling the friction between his daughter who is a doctor and the nurse “has never been my style.”

According to him, he sought to mediate the issue between the duo because he considered the nurse involved as his daughter as well.

He was therefore remorseful of his behaviour.

Alex wrote, “I understand the disappointment and appreciate the inconvenience my action has caused the general public as well as the Nursing FRATERNITY and Manhyia Hospital.”

He continued,”This has never been my style but for a genuine reason to mediate a persistent issue between my daughter(Doctor) and a colleague nurse who I as well consider my daughter.”

Alex again said,”I do apologise for any mishap and assure all, there shall not be a repetition of such.
I look forward to maintaining a cordial relationship between any affected person.”

Meanwhile, the Management of the National Service Scheme has called Alex for interrogation.

On Monday morning, Mr Opoku Mensah was reported to have barged into the surgical ward of the hospital, where his daughter is currently serving as a house officer, to verbally abuse and threaten the nurse.

According to eyewitnesses, the medical officer prescribed the wrong dosage for a two-year-old convulsion patient.

The nurse upon noticing the medical blunder called on the young doctor to rectify the wrongful medication.

However, sources say the house officer took offence and reported the issue to her father who later visited the health facility to angrily insult the nurse.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has since issued a statement calling for the immediate removal of the Mr Opoku-Mensah from office for the misbehaviour.

“The Public Services Commission and Government for that matter should sack the said Regional Director immediately because he is not fit for the director position he holds in public service.

“He had absolutely no right to enter Manhyia hospital and verbally abuse and threaten the nurse in question who was on duty at the time,” the statement read.

The nurses threatened that they will call upon their members at the facility to boycott their duties if Mr. Opoku-Mensah is not sacked within the next 72 hours.