NPP Member Joins Calls for Reinstatement of Tamale Hospital CEO

Kwesi Botchwey, a legal practitioner and member of the NPP’s Communications Team, has added his voice to demands for the reinstatement of Dr. Adam Atiku as Chief Executive of Tamale Teaching Hospital.

The development follows last week’s controversial dismissal that triggered a temporary withdrawal of emergency services by hospital staff.

In an interview on Asaase Radio’s The Forum, Botchwey criticized Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh’s handling of the April 22 incident, which stemmed from a patient’s death allegedly linked to ventilator unavailability. “This was an avoidable confrontation that exposed the dangers of political heavy-handedness in professional spaces,” Botchwey stated, referencing viral footage showing the minister’s heated exchange with emergency department staff.

The legal analyst’s intervention carries weight as it represents rare public dissent from within the governing party’s ranks. His characterization of the incident as “arrogance of power” echoes language previously used by opposition figures, suggesting cross-party concern about executive overreach in technical institutions.

Botchwey’s call aligns with resolutions brokered by Dagbon traditional leaders, who successfully mediated between protesting doctors and health authorities last Friday. The compromise saw emergency services resume but left unresolved the fundamental questions about political interference in hospital administration.

Medical associations nationwide are monitoring the situation closely, viewing it as a test case for professional autonomy in Ghana’s public health sector. With the NPP now facing internal divisions over the matter, pressure mounts on the Health Ministry to clarify whether Dr. Atiku’s removal followed due process or represented impulsive political retaliation.

As stakeholders await official responses, this episode has amplified broader conversations about balancing ministerial oversight with respect for institutional hierarchies in critical service delivery sectors. The outcome may establish important precedents for managing similar crises in Ghana’s increasingly complex governance landscape.