Joshua Makubu, Oti Regional Minister
The Oti Regional Members of Parliament (MPs) Caucus have called on their regional Minister, Joshua Makubu to apologize to them for having taken praises for work that he has not done during an eye screening exercise held in the region.
According to the eight-member MPs in a statement issued on Thursday, August 12, 2021 and signed by their Chairman, Hon. Wisdom Gidisu, the Eye Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi wrote a letter to them (Oti MPs) ” requesting their respective support towards the exercise”
The MPs noted that, they “decided to approach the exercise from a regional point so as to increase coverage and make it very successful. At all material times, the Caucus discussed, strategized and collaborated to make every phase a great success”.
They further explained that, “together with their respective constituency health teams they identified and located communities where screening teams should operate in each constituency to screen and diagnose people for the surgery”.
The MPs also revealed that, they have financed accommodation and inter Oti transportation for the team of nurses and doctors who carried out the exercise, and also fed the various constituents who have traveled from their homes to the screening centers and including sponsorship of “sight glasses and medication for other cases”.
They said the situation led each of them to spend “Ghc20,000.00” before completion of the exercise in the various communities in the region.
The lawmakers, however, alleged that, Mr. Joshua Makubu failed to acknowledge their efforts during the exercise and has taken the credit instead of the eight MPs.
“While we should be commending the Eye Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and all who supported the Oti Region in diverse ways to make the eye screening project a success. We wish to correct a doubt created in the minds of many including Reverend Sister Georgina L. Quayson, head of St. Joseph Catholic Hospital about the role of the Oti MPs Caucus in the exercise resulting from a well-publicized statement made by Hon. Joseph Makubu, the Oti Regional Minister. A misconception which led to her writing a letter of appreciation to the Regional Minister commending him for a role he did not play”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the transportation of ‘clients’ as mentioned in Rev. Sis. Georgina L. Quayson’s letter was borne fully by the MPs of the Region and not the Minister as her letter of appreciation stated”
They emphasized by saying “Whilst we demand an unqualified apology from our Regional Minister for his comments, we remain committed to our desire to see a total development of our region”.
The MPs thanked KATH, Staff of St. Joseph Hospital in Nkwanta South District where surgeries were done for severe cases and other stakeholders who have played a role in the success of the exercise.