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Get ready for some serious political fireworks.Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, is not holding back, directly addressing the swirling controversies around his professional background and a recent, hotly debated handshake. But the General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Dr. David Tenkorang, is having none of it, unleashing a scathing attack!
“I Am A Proud Farmer!” Minister Akandoh Hits Back!
Minister Akandoh is pushing back hard against those trying to discredit him based on his past. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, August 21, 2025, he firmly declared, “Nobody needs to remind me [that] I am a farmer. Yes, nobody needs to remind me. I am a proud farmer, and everybody knows it. Until my appointment, I was one of the largest rice farmers in this country. I am proud of that.”
He scoffed at the idea that only someone with medical training can lead the health sector, calling it a “misplaced” notion. The Minister clearly views these comments as a deliberate distraction from the real work at hand. “Please, we have a lot to deliver, and some of these things will not divert our attention. We will continue to do our best for Mother Ghana,” he stressed, aiming to shut down the chatter about his qualifications.
The Handshake Heard ‘Round Ghana: Akandoh Defends Courtesy
But the “farmer” debate isn’t the only fire he’s putting out. Minister Akandoh also had to defend his handshake with social media activist Ralph St. William, who has been linked to an alleged assault at Ridge Hospital. This moment sparked outrage, with many seeing it as an endorsement of misconduct.
The Health Minister clarified his actions, emphasizing it was purely an act of courtesy, not approval of the alleged assault. He recounted the moment: “After we finished the meeting with the hospital management, I put together a committee to investigate the matter in question. So, after that meeting, we came outside, and my attention was drawn to a gentleman who I was told was at the centre of the controversy.”
He continued, explaining his split-second decision: “So, on approaching me, I asked, ‘Why did you do what you did?’ When I asked, the gentleman stretched his hand, shook me, and attempted to whisper something into my ear. At this point, should I push him away, snub him, or shout at him? Even if that guy has been prosecuted and sentenced to life imprisonment, if he stretches his hand to shake me, as a minister and as a public officer, I have a duty to greet him back.”
Akandoh was clear: “The fact that I shook hands with him does not mean I should stop any measures the ministry or government will take to unravel the situation.”
Nurses’ Fury: “Is He a Farmer? What Kind of Life Is That?!”
However, these explanations have done little to appease the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA). Their General Secretary, Dr. David Tenkorang, unleashed a blistering critique on Asempa FM on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
Dr. Tenkorang reacted furiously to the Ministry of Health’s explanation regarding the Ridge Hospital incident, especially after the Minister’s visit. He blasted Akandoh’s understanding of hospital operations: “The most disgusting and infuriating thing is the second point; the minister should know that there are systems over there. If he doesn’t understand, he should get somebody to educate him on the triage system.”
He passionately explained the triage system, where urgent cases are prioritized, regardless of arrival time. Then came the direct jab: “So, that statement does not make sense to me at all; it doesn’t make sense. Whoever wrote that statement doesn’t even understand the hospital system. Why? Is he a farmer? What kind of life is that?!” Dr. Tenkorang fumed, clearly using the farming background slight against the Minister.
The GRNMA General Secretary was equally incensed by the handshake with Ralph St. William. “What is even annoying is what the minister did. His statement runs contrary to his posture. You went there, and the same Ralph who had engaged in that act of hooliganism, you went there to embrace him. Look at the pictures on social media.”
He added, “He affectionately embraced the Ralph guy, somebody who has been fingered as the perpetrator of that heinous crime. He embraced him, and then the guy whispered into his ears, and he was smiling; whether it was a question or whatever, then he was smiling. How did the guy get to know that the minister had come there for him to rush there immediately?”
Finally, Dr. Tenkorang flat-out accused the Health Minister of disrespecting nurses. “I agree with you, but the man does not give respect to nurses. How can you treat nurses like this? It’s the clearest case of disrespect. You go and embrace the very guy, and look, initially he was being defended that he met the person before meeting the management. It’s not true. Look, if you show us respect, we will also show you respect. I mean, what is he trying to show us?”
This unfolding drama highlights the deep tensions between the Health Ministry’s leadership and frontline healthcare workers in Ghana.
source: https://ghnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Health-Minister-Kwabena-Mintah-Akandoh-and-GRNMA-General-Secretary-Dr-David-Tenkorang.jpg
