In Ghana, the authority of traditional rulers is not in doubt. This is because they have always played a critical role in the development of society.
Throughout history, they have been symbols for the steady growth of societies that have made progress.
Even in modern-day governance, decisions in traditional areas on issues such as peace-keeping, conflict resolution and matters concerning social issues such as health, community welfare and many others are often best handled if the traditional authorities at the local levels are involved.
Therefore, traditional authorities have been and continue to be the pivots around which many activities take place in the communities.
This is why the Daily Graphic is at its wits’ end to understand a story emanating from Dormaa Ahenkro that the General Manager of the Presbyterian Hospital there is currently a persona non grata in the town and that he has had to flee the town because of a banishing order issued by the Dormaahene after a controversy over the construction of a mortuary by the hospital.
The Presbyterian Hospital had, for a long time, not have a mortuary and, as a result, mortuary services had been provided by a private one said to have been built by the traditional authorities about 10 years ago.
Mortuary services constitute a major aspect of health delivery in most parts of the country, and especially in Ghana where dead bodies can be kept in the mortuary for weeks, months or years, most health facilities endeavour to have their own mortuaries.
In most cases, organised community effort, through collaboration among the local authorities and the government and mission and private health facilities results in the provision of additional facilities for such centres.
But that was not to be in the case of the mortuary at the Presbyterian Hospital in Dormaa built through the initiative of the General Manager, Mr Effah-Yeboah.
The manager is said to have left the town following the expiration of an ultimatum issued by the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, for him to leave the town or risk his life because he had disobeyed the chief.
Since the hospital started operating the mortuary in December last year, it has incurred the displeasure of the traditional rulers, resulting in the ultimatum issued by the Dormaahene on Monday, February 17.
The Daily Graphic is of the view that whatever the differences between the traditional authorities and the hospital and/or the General Manager are, they should not have been allowed to deteriorate to the point where the hospital administrator has to be banished.
We note that the general manager left the town on the advice of the Dormaa Police Command. That the police could not offer protection for the hospital official means the issue should be taken seriously and efforts made to settle the matter.
We call on the Police Administration, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the Ministry of Health to act quickly on the matter to ensure that the provision of health facilities for the people in the community does not suffer.
