Thursday, February 25, 2016

KIDNAPPING CASE AGAINST KROBO CHIEF DISMISSED



Nene Agbau Narh, Divisional Chief of Djebiam, Manya Krobo
A Koforidua Circuit Court had dismissed a case of kidnapping brought against a Divisional Chief of the Manya Krobo Traditional area, Nene Agbau Narh III and three others.

The case which has been running since March last year, was dismissed for the lack of evidence, according to the court.

The accused persons including Nene Agbau Narh, Divisional Chief of Djebiam who at the time was the Acting President of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council; Mr. Peter Sedjordji Narh, Head of Popotia Limestone Land Owners; Daniel Tetteh and one Nartey alias Narh, all youth of the area have since been acquitted and discharged

Background
On Thursday March 12, 2016, Nene together with the others were arraigned before the Koforidua Circuit Court B for purportedly kidnapping one Samuel Adjie Paditey, an agent of GHACEM, while the latter was on his usual reconnaissance and prospecting activities at the limestone-rich Popotia area, near Yonguase in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region.

Prior to this, Mr. Paditey was said to have been instructed by the chiefs to cease all reconnaissance and prospecting activities in the said area since it was not covered by the agreement between the parties.

This was during a meeting held on Thursday February 5, 20115 at the Manya Krobo Customary Lands Secretariat involving the chiefs, Mr. Paditey and the relevant land owners.

According to sources, Mr. Paditey and his clients, Ghacem alledgedly disregarded the directive and have been in active operations at the site.

On Friday February 20, 2015 the Chiefs were said to have had a tipoff to the effect that Mr. Paditey had defied their directives and was illegally operating in the area.  

Nene Agbau Narh, then acting as the President of the Council, accordingly dispatched some of his emissaries to summon the former to appear before the council.

While the messengers were returning from the site with Mr. Paditey, the Oterkporlu Police had a hint of the issue and swiftly went in to take custody of Mr. Paditey. On his release, he initiated a legal action against Nene and his aides who were subsequently hurled to court on Thursday March 12, 2015.

The four however narrowly escaped remand and were admitted to a GHC 15, 000 bail with two sureties each to reappear on Tuesday March 31, 2015.

After months of trial, the case was thrown out of court last Tuesday following the filing of a motion of nole prosequy by the Attorney General’s Office.

Nene's reaction
Speaking to Nene Agbau Narh, he said “Though the case has been truncated for lack of evidence, I feel deeply maligned by the development (the suit); all the same I am happy justice has prevailed in the long run”. “The council will review the entire development and take the appropriate steps”, he added

Counsel speaks
Ebenezer Ahumah Sakey Esquire of the Krobo Chambers, counsel for the accused said “Everybody who was privy to the fact knew the case lacked merit right from scratch- this was obvious and that is why I’m not surprised at the decision of the court”.




Friday, February 19, 2016

NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL WILL ACT APPROPRIATELY

The Nursing and Midwifery Council says it will take appropriate action in the case in which a 38 year old expectant mother died together with the unborn baby at the Madina Polyclinic, once the court makes it decision known.

The Council indicated that thought it had officially heard from the complainant, it was unable to investigate the issue which is presently before a court of competent jurisdiction.

“Once the case is before court, it incapacitates us as a regulatory body, for which reason we can only act after the court’s decision is out”, the Council indicated in its official response.

The Council said this after meeting the widower at the Council’s premises on Wednesday.


The sad-looking widower, Mr. Otu
Mr. Otu who also confirmed meeting the Council said he was happy the Council had given him audience in response to his petition. “I feel a bit consoled by their embrace and response. We await the outcome of the court case”, he added.

Background
Cynthia Nuworsu, a trader and a mother of four died together with her unborn baby on January 18, 2015 at the Madina Kekle Polyclinic where she had reported the day before to deliver her fifth child.

According to an autopsy report from the Police hospital, she died of “raptured uterus” (a tear of the uterus) and “breech presentation”, explained as childbirth in which the baby exits the pelvis with the buttocks, feet or any other part of the body as opposed to the normal head-first presentation. 

The husband who is presently in a legal tussle with the medical facility described the circumstance surrounding Cynthia’s demise as “medical malpractice” and a “preventable death” which breached the duty of care between the facility and the deceased. He has since file a law suit against the facility and three others.

5 million suit
In what promises to be a landmark legal battle, sure to leave a precedent irrespective of the outcome, lawyer for the widower, Francis Xavier Sosu Esq. last week filed a GHC 5 million suit at the Human Rights Division of the High Court against the Madina Polyclinic.

Joined to the suit are the Minister of Health, Attorney General and the Director General of the Ghana Health Service.

Among others, Council for the plaintiff is praying the court to declare that the duty of care owed the deceased was breached, leading to the painful death of mother and child.

Additionally, he is praying the court to order a compensation to the widower to the tune of GHC 5 million.

Though counsel for the plaintiff confirmed service of the writ on the defendants, it was unclear if the latter had filed their response, at the time of going to press.

Henking A. Adjase-Kodjo & Seth J. Bokpe

Henking is a journalist (an activist writer) and a blogger and can be reached via klonobi2007@gmail.com. You can follow him on twitter with the handle @henkingklonobi. Don't hesitate to leave the writer a comment on the story read

                                                          Friday February 19-25, 2016 pg 3
                            

LAWYER SOSU TAKES UP CASE FOR WIDOWER

Human Rights lawyer, Francis Xavier Sosu
A Human Rights Lawyer, Francis Xavier Sosu has taken up the case of Mr. Bernard Otu, the man who lost his expectant wife and unborn baby at the Madina (Kekle) Polyclinic, pledging to seek justice for the widower.

Mr. Sosu who picked up the case on pro bono basis, said he will file a suit at the Human Rights Division of the High Court before the end of the week to demand justice for the father of four.

He is therefore leading a team of lawyers from his firm, F-X Law and Associate to file a suit at the court.

Mr Sosu, known for championing  the cause of the underprivileged in the country’s law courts, said he was driven mainly by public interest and his background as a human rights lawyer to wade into the issue to give a voice to the distressed young man.

“We are heading to court and will pursue this case to the latter. The Polyclinic had a duty of care to the deceased and his husband and that is what we are out there to prove, at least to help us get things right in our health delivery system”, Mr. Sosu told the Mirror.

While he would not disclose the content of the suit until it was filed, he said he expected justice to be done at the end of the day.

Background
It would be recalled that, 38-year-old Cynthia Nuworsu, a trader and a mother of four, underwent an induction of labour at the Madina Kekle Polyclinic on Wednesday June 17 2015 and died in the process the following day after prolonged labour.

The husband described this as “medical malpractice” and a “preventable death” in breach of the duty of care owed him and the deceased.

This has since pushed him into a confrontation with the medical officers, and he is court bound.  .  

The remains of both baby and mother were interred at Dzodze in the Volta Region.

Widower’s reaction
In an interview, Mr. Otu said he was happy about the growing public interest in the issue and particularly about the intervention of these human rights lawyers.

“This must be the starting point of a more holistic assessment of our systems and the improvement of monitoring and supervision to help address the glaring lapses and to save more lives”, he said.

 Madina Police
The Madia Police have confirmed knowledge of the incident.

They indicated that after the official complaint by the widower on Friday June 19, 2015, they invited the officials of the clinic who could not show up with the excuses that they needed permission from the regional directorate.

Permission was later sought in writing by the Police Service which led to the interrogation of about five of them including one Dr. Selorm Botchwey, said to be the Ag. Medical Director of the facility.


In an interview, DSP Happy Michael Addae, who at the time of the incident was the Madina District Crime Officer (now on transfer) said, “professional negligence, as is being alledged by Mr. Otu, is a tort (civil case) which can only be taken up by the widower” adding “ We can only come on board with the findings from our investigations”.

By Henking A. Adjase-Kodjo & Seth J. Bokpe
                                                     Friday Feb 12-18, 2016 pg 3

Friday, February 5, 2016

ASARE K. DAPAAH, THE YOUNG “PRESIDENTIAL” SCULPTOR

Getting close to the final stages of the work- Dapaah filing jis work
When on September 17, 2015 His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana, unveiled a bust of his predecessor, late Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills as part of a ceremony to commission the first of the 200 community day secondary schools, only a few could imagine such an impressive piece of artwork was the handiwork of a  24 year old sculptor.
President John Mahama admiring the bust
The nice-looking monument which presently stands at the entrance of the Atta-Mills Senior High School at Ekumfi Atuam in the Central Region was designed and executed from start to finish by Asare Kwesi Dapaah, a final year student of the University of Education, Winneba with occasional supervision from his lecturer, Mr. Cyril Kpodo.

The young sculptor (shorter than his work) proudly displaying the bust
Young Dapaah who could not hide his joy in being the skillful hand behind the unmistakable bust of the late president said “It’s humbling and refreshing to have such a great platform to showcase my work; it is even more so having my work (created in the image of no less a personality but the man of many virtues and achievements, Atta-Mills) endorsed and commissioned by the sitting president; Nothing can be more inspiring”.

He described his work as a physical manifestation of his talent (which he developed from childhood), his passion and later, the professional training which he acquired from secondary school and the university.
Work in progress
Sculpture rudiment
The nearly two-2ft-tall bust, mounted on a 4 and half ft pedestal stand is made of a fine blend of Polyurethane Resin and Fibre Glass and this came to life after sixteen days of skillful and meticulous work, graduating steadily through six successive stages including what he described as armature preparation, clay modelling, mould taking, casting, finishing and mounting.

Background
A native of Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region, Asare Kwesi Dapaah was born to Mr. Cliff Kofi Dapaah, a teacher and late Augusta Dedo Sackey-Kwawu, a broadcaster (formerly of GBC Obonu FM, Tema).

His first encounter with formal education was at the then famous (now defunct) Gideon International School, (GIS) Odumase-Krobo from where he graduated the best of his batch with a remarkable grade Eight in the 2004 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), gaining admission into yet another prestigious educational institution, the Pope Johns Senior High School and Junior Seminary (POJOSS).

At POJOSS where he read Visual Art, his raw talent was given a good footing and refined; this further boosted his taste for the creative art. It was this obsession that drove him to pursue art to the tertiary level after turning a POJOBA in 2007.

In 2009, he enrolled at the Tarkoradi Polytechnic where he read Sculpture. Characteristic of him, he displayed exceptional academic brilliance, and graduated as one of the best students with First Class (HND Sculpture) in the year 2012.

His thirst for higher education spurred him on to read for his first degree shortly after his National Service. He subsequently entered the University of Education, Winneba (UCEW) in 2013 where he is currently studying B.A Art Education- with a major in Sculture and Picture Making- filled with nothing but a steely determination to come out one of the best in his class and batch when graduating later this year.

Other undertakings
Time to produce one of himself
Some of his other striking artworks, apart from those for academic purposes, include a classic bust of himself, a pencil and charcoal drawings of iconic figures including Nelson Mandela of South Africa and our own Kwame Nkrumah and Kofi Annan. He has an equal flair in drawing which he does for fun.
Away from sculpture- young Dapaah behind his drawing table 
An Asare Dapaah drawing of the late Nelson Mandela. Isn't this a clear photograph?

Thursday, February 4, 2016

AGGRIEVED WIDOWER PETITIONS HEALTH MINISTER

The couple on the day of their marriage 
In furtherance of his desire to get to the root cause of the death of his expectant wife and child at the Madina (Kekle) Polyclinic, Bernard Otu, the aggrieved widower has petitioned the Minister of Health.

He is asking for thorough investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of his 38-year-old wife and unborn baby through childbirth at the facility.

Mr Otus is also seeking, among other things, an inquiry into what he described as professional negligence as well as the lack of customer care and fellow feeling which resulted in the irreplaceable loss of two lives.

The three-paged petition, dated January 4, 2016 and addressed to the Health Minister has since been served with copies to other supervisory/regulatory institutions such as the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NWC), Medical and Dental Council (MDC),  and the Ghana Medical Association (GMA).

Mr. Otu indicated that another of his motivation in pursuing the case was the need for a restructuring of the systems and a proper supervision to save more lives in our quest, as a nation, to reduce the incidence of maternal, perinatal and infant mortality.

Post mortem
A post mortem report from the Police Hospital, dated June 24, 2015, stamped and signed by one Dr. L. Edusei indicated that Cynthia died of “breeched presentation” explained by medical experts as a childbirth in which the baby exits the pelvis with the buttocks, feet or any other part of the body as opposed to the normal head-first presentation.

Per the report, she was also found to have suffered a “uterine rupture”, also explained as tear or explosion of the uterus. These followed an induced labour and nearly 24 hours of labour characterized by profuse bleeding.

Background
Cynthia Nuworsu, the deceased 
Cynthia Nuworsu , a trader and a mother of four, underwent an induction of labour at the Polyclinic on Wednesday June 17 2015 and died in the process the following day, still undelivered.

According to the grieving husband, his demands to have access to the wife and later for a referral to a hospital in the course of the prolonged labour were all ignored until his wife eventually passed away.  

The corpse was later transferred to the Police hospital and subsequently buried at Dzodze in the Volta Region together with the remains of the foetus.

Invitation by national security
Reliable information indicates that the National Security has invited the officers of the Madina Police Station where the case was first reported. 

The Chief of Madina, Serikie Baba Amadu Seidu, who at a point was commissioned by the officers of the Polyclinic to arbitrate the case between them and the widower has also been invited. 

Medical and Dental Council invite
A meeting was held in Accra on Tuesday between officials of the Medical and Dental Council and the widower, at the instance of the former.

According to Mr. Otu, he has been directed by the Registrar of the Council, Dr. Eli Atikpui, to submit an official complaint, attached with what the registrar described as a statutory declaration to enable the council take the necessary actions. He is yet to submit the complaints as requested.

Nana Aba Anamoah supports
Nana Aba Anamoah presenting the cash to the widower
In a related development, Nana Aba Anamoah, a broadcast journalist with GHOne Television (and formerly of TV3) has donated an amount of Thousand Ghana cedis (GHC1000.00) to support the husband and children of the deceased.

Presenting the cash to the widower in the studios of Starr FM last Tuesday shortly after their interview session on the Morning Starr, Nana Aba who was sitting in for Nii Ardey Clegg, the regular host, said “This is my personal contribution to keep you and your children going in this moment of grief. I hope other individuals and institutions will do same to help sooth your sorrow”.

Mr. Otu who received the cash with mixed feeling said “This gesture is unexpected; it means so much to me and I know God will reward you for this gesture”.

Story by Henking A. Adjase-Kodjo and Seth J. Bokpe 

Henking is a journalist (an activist writer) and a blogger and can be reached via klonobi2007@gmail.com. You can follow him on twitter with the handle @henkingklonobi. Don't hesitate to leave the writer a comment on the story read.

The story as captured in page 3 of the Mirror of  Feb 5-11, 2016
NB: A copy of the petition is reproduced below

Post Office Box OK 155
Odumase-Krobo
January 4, 2016

The Minster
Ministry of Health
Accra
Attn: Hon Alex Segbefia

PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE AT THE MADINA (KEKLE) POLYCLINIC AND THE RESULTANT DEATH OF MY EXPECTANT WIFE

Dear Sir,

After thorough reflection and consultations, I have decided to petition your outfit (and the other supervisory institutions) as the first in the series of steps I intend to take on the issue of the death of my expectant wife at the Madina (Kekle) Polyclinic.

It is my conviction that the process leading to her death and the condition in which she passed away smack of professional negligence (a threat to the public) which should not pass without attention and investigation as is in the interest of the public.

Background
My 38 year old wife, Cynthia Nuworsu died, of a raptured uterus and similar complications after an induced and an unreasonably long period of painful labour. On that fateful day, Wednesday June 17, 2015, Cynthia who was going about her normal activities, was called from the hospital- having been put on a waiting list to be delivered of her baby- and admitted in the clinic, where she’s had her antenatal care all this while.

Between her arrival around 5pm on June 17 and death in the afternoon of on June 18 June, 2015, it became obvious that complications had set in (in the delivery process) beyond the capacity of the polyclinic (said to have no operating theatre) and needed to be referred to a better equipped hospital but the medical would not give any credible information on how she was faring. They will neither give me access to her nor grant my requests to have her transferred immediately. All they kept telling me in a rather rude tone was “you are not a Doctor and can’t dictate to us”.

All this while, I could hear my wife’s loud screams, which intensified in equal measure to the aggravated pain and discomfort, arising out of the induced and prolong period of labour.
In short, I was prevented from seeing her and my wish/request to have her referred got ignored until I was grudgingly informed of her passing by the Ag. Medical Officer, Dr. Selorm Botchwey, around 4:30pm, nearly 24 hours after her labour was induced.

The corpse which still had the baby stuck in the tommy was handed over to me around 6pm with a note for a post mortem at the 37 Military Hospitals. Autopsy at the Police Hospital (during which the foetus was removed) later revealed that she died of a ruptured uterus and breech presentation.

The deceased together with the foetus were subsequently buried on Saturday August 8, 2015 at Dzodje in the Volta Region.

Justification for the petition/call for investigation and intended action

Loss of two precious lives: The quantum of loss I have suffered is enormous; at least one life (either the mother or the baby) could and should have been saved; and a little act of professionalism on the part of the medical officers would have achieved that. And isn’t it amazing that even at the time of her death, after nearly 24 hours of labour, the baby was still stuck in the womb?

Indiscretion/professional negligence: Why should an expectant mother be subjected to this long period of labour at a facility that has no operating theatre to take care of likely/resultant complications. And why won’t my insistence on her transfer be enough push for referral to a more advanced medical facility?  This is certainly a clear act of indiscretion and or incompetence which must not go unchecked, if more lived should be saved. Surprising shocking mind-blowing

Lack of customer care and fellow feeling: The arrogance on the part of the medical staff on duty was, to put it mildly, startling and dreadful. It is expected that in this day and age when customer care has virtually become a way of life for any well-managed staff/corporate institution, a husband whose wife is in labour would receive a warm embrace that would be soothing enough to rest his mind during that period of uncertainty. What did I experience- pure pride and a rather haughty manner and feeling of superiority over me which turned hostile what should rather have been a friendly environment. Given their deep-seated attitude (which must be their way of life), when they should be learning from this unfortunate situation, there is the high possibility that another person may be subjected to similar treatment that would lead to the irreversible loss of more precious lives, if swift measures are not taken.

Financial loss: Aside the loss of human lives (my hard-working wife in particular), that has rendered my four children motherless, I have suffered huge financial loss that has virtual grounded what was a thriving transport business on which our very survival was hinged. Life has not been the same.

Need to save more lives: My key motivation in seeking your intervention is the need to act to save more lives. I want to believe that a lot more people have gone through similar experience in silence, not only at the Madina Polyclinic but in our various hospitals (government hospitals in particular) and a lot more will have to be at the receiving end of this ill-treatment unless something drastic was done.

It remains my wish that you personally step into this issue and cause the right thing to be done because it is in largely in the interest of the citizenry so to do.

I count on your swift response

Yours sincerely

Bernard Otu

……………....
Tel: 0244 543 179 / 0270543179


Cc: Director General, Ghana Health Service, Accra
Director, Ghana Medical Association, Accra
Greater Accra Regional Director, Ghana Health Service, Accra
Director, Ghana Health Service, La-Nkwantanan
Deputy Medical Director, Madina (Kekle) Polyclinic
The Konor (Paramount Chief), Manya Krobo
Kloma Gbi
The Registrar, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana, Accra
The President, Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Accra
The Registrar, Medical and Dental Council, Accra
NB: Copies updated with the last three recipients



Tuesday, February 2, 2016

NANA ABA ANAMOAH SUPPORTS WIDOWER

Nana Aba Anamoah (right) presenting the cash to Bernard Otoo, the widower in the studios of Starr FM
Nana Aba Anamoah, of GHOne Television (formerly a newscaster and show host at TV3) has donated an amount of Thousand Ghana cedis (GHC1000.00) to support the husband and children of Cynthia Nuworsu, the 38-year-old lady who died during childbirth at the Madina (Kekle) Polyclinic a couple of months ago.  .
Bernard in the studios of Starr FM
Presenting the cash to the widower, Mr. Bernard Otoo, in the studios of Starr FM this morning shortly after their interview session on the Morning Show, Nana Aba who was sitting in for Nii Ardey Clegg, the regular host, said “This is my personal contribution to keep you and your children going in this moment of grief. I'm sure others will come in to help sooth your sorrow”.

Mr. Otoo who received the package with mixed feeling said “This gesture is totally unexpected; it means so much to me and I know God will reward you for this gesture”.

Details of the story on circumstances that led to the death of Cynthia and her baby are available here:  http://thekroboquill.blogspot.com/2016/01/madina-polyclinic-killed-my-wife-baby.html

Henking is a journalist (an activist writer) and a blogger and can be reached via klonobi2007@gmail.com. You can follow him on twitter with the handle @henkingklonobi. Don't hesitate to leave the writer a comment on the story read.