Kandahar Boys chase Tamale Teaching Hospital CEO out

Kandahar Boys, a Tamale-based vigilante group believed to be affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Monday morning locked up the offices of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Dr David Zaawumya Akolbila, on allegations that he was incompetent.

Since Dr Akolbila was not in the office when the group arrived, the members chased out his secretary, after which they locked up the offices and took the keys with them.

Moments after the Kandahar Boys had left the scene, some other young men, also said to be sympathisers of the NPP, stormed the facility purportedly to stop the Kandahar Boys from carrying out their threat of forcing Dr Akolbila to resign as the CEO of the teaching hospital.

According to eyewitnesses, the young men appeared to be irritated by the actions of the Kandahar Boys and challenged them to use the appropriate channels to demand the dismissal of Dr Akolbila if indeed he had engaged in any form of corrupt practices as they had alleged.

Allegations

The Kandahar Boys, the Daily Graphic gathered, had accused Dr Akolbila of incompetence and mismanagement at the hospital.

They also accused him of awarding contracts to seven companies he owned and operated, alleging that, “Dr Akolbila is in bed with the procurement officer and contracts are trafficked on a daily basis under the deliberate creation of shortages in the hospital.”

The Kandahar Boys have also alleged that the CEO, on a daily basis, issued threats to staff who complained about his “incompetence and mismanagement” of the health facility.

“The CEO, through a security officer, issued death threats on Madam Asana who is a worker at the hospital and a member of the regional communications team of the NPP.

“We are of the opinion that the CEO should not be allowed the opportunity to use the hospital as a conduit to enrich himself and send hardworking staff of the hospital away.

“We, therefore, demand the immediate dismissal of Dr Akolbila before he collapses this noble facility,” the group stated.

As of the time of going to press, no member of the hospital administration was ready to speak with the Daily Graphic.

Security

The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Mohammed Yussif Tanko, told the Daily Graphic that the police received a distress call about the attack on the hospital facility and immediately deployed personnel to the scene.

He said security had been beefed up at the facility to ensure calm and ward off the destruction of property.

“No arrest has been made so far, but we have commenced investigation into the incident,” DSP Yussif Tanko added.

Some members of the group manhandled this reporter and other journalists who were at the scene and seized their mobile phones for about 45 minutes to prevent them from taking images of the incident.