Health Minister Akandoh tells Parliament why he suspended KATH CEO
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has justified why he recently suspended the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday [June 16, 2026], when the issue came up for discussion on the floor, Mr Akandoh said he did not need the permission of Parliament to take that action as the KATH CEO, he said, flouted a Presidential directive.
Mr Akandoh stated this when he responded to concerns by the Minority Leader to the effect that he, the minister, should have sought parliamentary permission before taking any action against the CEO of the KATH.
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said letters by the Minister of Health calling for action to be taken against some chief executives had been seen all over [on social media].
He said, given the fact that the minister [Akandoh] himself held his predecessor to high-level accountability when he was the Ranking member on Health Committe of Parliament and was “very, very vociferous”, he should have briefed Parliament on his decision against the KATH CEO.
“Mr Speaker, he thought what he did then was good for democracy. I agree, Mr Speaker, but once our colleague has risen to that high office, and especially when he is a member of this house, our expectation is that he utilises the platform of parliament for us to understand what is happening in the sector,” Afenyo-Markin said.
Akandoh's justification
But responding, Mr Akandoh said as an Executive arm of government, a minister of state does not need the permission of Parliament to execute his responsibility or take punitive action.
“Mr Speaker, the minister will determine as and when to come to Parliament to brief members on actions being taken,” he said.
Mr Akandoh recalled that the President, on the floor of Parliament, issued a policy direction in the health sector that no facility should turn away emergency cases.
“And His Excellency added that even if the life of a person must be saved on the ground, we should do so, and that was a policy direction.
“And when the President speaks, it is a policy that the minister must implement, and nobody in this country has the absolute right to close any portion of a public health facility without the consent of the minister,” he said.
Setting the record straight, the minister said that after the President's directive that no emergency cases were to be turned away, there was a press statement issued, which indicated that the accident and emergency of KATH was closed and “no more patients can come there”.
He said section 36 of the act that established the teaching hospitals clearly established that whatever the minister would say or direct, the board of such hospitals shall apply the same.
“So the decision of the minister is not subject to the review of the board, but it is the decisions of the board that is subject to the review of the minister.
“In this case, I invited the CEO of KATH and I enquired whether what he has done was not contrary to position of Mr President,” he said.
H said the CEO admitted and apologised “before me and other officers”.
Mr Akandoh said in order to send a clear signal- a punitive actions he meant to serve as deterrent- the ministry then proceeded to direct the board to allow the CEO to sit aside for two weeks and then investigate the press statement.
“Mr. Speaker, is it a decision I needed the approval of the house to do so?” he quizzed.
