More revelations about Dr. Baning as Pantang hospital staff insist he must go
Following a publication last week on the agitation by staff of Pantang hospital for the immediate removal of their Director, there have been more revelations about how he has systemically run the hospital down and made it a toxic place to work in. These evidence borders on corruption and corruption related activities.
Dr. Baning working with a senior staff in the procurement department of to the hospital set up ‘dummy’ companies to supply virtually all medical and non-medical consumables needed by the hospital.
Dr. Baning has over the past 8 years used an authoritarian leadership style to perpetuate his corrupt activities. Any staff who dares question him is victimised and eventually has to resign or go on transfer.
There is the case of a staff at the audit department of the hospital by name Selorm, who once raised queries about the cost of phones Dr. Baning had approved for procurement for the hospital. The cost was inflated many times over. This poor staff was subjected to all sorts of victimisation till he eventually had to leave the hospital. This is just one example of many victims ranging from Doctors, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Accountants, Store officers, procurement staff, kitchen staff and even Security.
Most of the staff agitating for Dr. Baning’s removal are afraid of victimisation having suffered his dictatorship over the past 8 years. They have expressed lack of confidence in their Union heads whom they say are being manipulated by Dr. Baning.
Response of Mental Health Authority and Dr. Baning
Dr. Pinaman Appau, the Chief Executive of the Mental Health Authority, is now between the devil and the deep blue sea. She has to act, but which ever action she takes or not take, will not absolve her of complicity in the issues at Pantang hospital under her watch. Reports suggest she is afraid of Dr. Baning and does his bidding, but there is pressure on her to take decisive action on the indefensible activities her friend has been involved in.
Chief Executive of the Mental Health Authority
Despite being aware of most of the concerns of the staff, she has suggested that she has not received a formal petition from any staff.
She was also over the past week seen at Accra Psychiatric hospital consulting with a retired Psychiatrist on the way forward. This retired Psychiatrist is known for his NPP leanings.
Dr. Baning also responded by summoning Union heads in Pantang hospital in an apparent show of bravado. He demanded of them if any of their members had shared any grievance with them. He then went ahead to suggest that the agitations were political. Subsequent to his meeting with the Union heads, Dr. Baning has told his close confidantes that he is a public servant and nothing can be done to him.
Response of Staff of Pantang Hospital
The staff in expressing disapproval in their Union heads pointed to a series of grievances they have voiced out to them.
The most recent one being the Unilateral imposition of a GHC 50 levy on all staff to be deducted from source.
Some of the Union heads admitted that they were afraid of victimisation. They have however started circulating details of an earlier petition stating the rot at Pantang hospital.
Dummy Companies operated by Dr. Baning
Over the past 8 years that Dr. Baning has been Hospital Director at Pantang Hospital, a number of companies he has set up or used others to front for him have consistently won bids to supply medications and other consumables to the hospital.
The companies he is using as a front to siphon and divert Hospital funds back to himself are: Lips investment, Sprinskey Ventures, Blackrock Ltd and Alfies Pharmacy Ltd.
Staff Expectations
The staff expects the Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to act sooner than later to save Pantang hospital from collapsing.
They are also demanding that Dr. Baning steps aside immediately so that staff can freely volunteer information without the risk of victimisation.
Embattled Pantang Hospital Director
The staff say the longer he still stays in Office, the more they are running out of patience and may soon take the law into their own hands.
The staff also demand an immediate financial audit over his 8 year tenure when he steps aside.
Most of the staff especially the Doctors and Nurses say the work environment is so toxic that they would rather travel to the UK than work in Pantang hospital, though they would have loved to stay in Ghana
In the coming days, we will be publishing damning details of the rot in the mental health sector in Ghana and also details of how Dr. Baning with the connivance of a senior staff at the procurement department fabricates tender committee reports to favour his dummy Companies.
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