The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Techiman North, Johnson Adom, says he has no information on any decision by the committee investigating the closure of the Techiman-Krobo Nursing and Midwifery Training College to ask some persons to step aside.
According to him, he is not a member of the committee constituted by the Ministry of Health to investigate concerns raised following a protest by students of the school.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr Adom said he could therefore not confirm reports about any recommendation by the committee for some officials of the institution to step aside.
“I am not privy to the committee’s decision that some people should step aside. I have no information on that,” he said.
“I am not a member of the committee the Ministry set up, so it will be difficult for me to speak to specific recommendations they may have made,” he added.
Mr Adom explained that the committee comprises representatives from the Ministry of Health, the nursing training school, the National Association of Nursing Students and other professionals involved in the supervision and management of nursing training institutions.
“The committee comprises members from the Ministry of Health, members from the school, executives of the National Association of Nursing Students, and some officials from the Ministry of Health who supervise the schools,” he said.
He said other professionals with experience in the sector were also part of the committee, expressing confidence in their ability to properly assess the concerns raised by the students and the community.
“When you look at the composition of the committee and read their profiles, you will know that they are professionals,” he said.
Mr Adom said he expected the committee to consider all the grievances raised, particularly concerns surrounding examinations and students’ preparation, to ensure that no student is disadvantaged.
“So, all these grievances we have raised about the examinations and preparation, I believe the committee, in its recommendations, will factor all these things in so that at the end of the day, no one will be disadvantaged,” he stated.
However, he maintained that he could not comment on specific decisions because he was not part of the committee’s deliberations.
“As to the specific recommendations that the committee has taken, I was not part of it, so it will be difficult to speak to that issue,” he said.
DCE follows up with Regional Minister
Mr Adom said the committee had informed local authorities that after completing its work, it would return to the Ministry of Health to submit its report.
“What I know is that they came to inform us that after their work, they were going back to the Ministry that sent them to report the results of their work as a committee,” he explained.
He said, as DCE, his immediate reporting line was to the Regional Minister, through whom further follow-up on the matter was being pursued.
“I am the DCE. I report to the Regional Minister before it gets to the President,” he said.
Mr Adom disclosed that he had contacted the Regional Minister to find out the progress of the committee’s work and was assured that the matter would be followed up.
“The follow-up I did was to speak to the Regional Minister to speak to them and see how far they have reached, and he assured me that they will do it,” he said.
He therefore urged caution in discussing the committee’s recommendations until its report is formally presented.
“So, it will be difficult to speak to any committee member about that when my Regional Minister can speak to them in Accra to see the way forward after the report,” he added.
The controversy follows a protest by students of the Techiman-Krobo Nursing and Midwifery Training College over concerns about the administration of the institution.
The protest subsequently attracted the attention of the community and authorities, leading the Ministry of Health to establish a committee to investigate the issues and make recommendations.
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