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Who Is Indeed Behind The Reopening Of The “Sick Bay” At Kumawu SHS; Is It Dr Yaw Sarfo?

Feature Article Who Is Indeed Behind The Reopening Of The Sick Bay At Kumawu SHS; Is It Dr Yaw Sarfo?
JAN 20, 2018 LISTEN

Dear Editor,
On Monday, 15 January 2018, the Kumawu District Chief Executive (DCE), “Honourable” Samuel Addai Agyekum, accompanied Dr Yaw Sarfo, the alleged Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua to the Kumawu Senior High School. They went there to hold a meeting with the Headmaster and the teaching staff. In the meeting, Dr Yaw Sarfo assured the school that he was going to open a “Sick Bay” at the school to cater for the health needs of the students.

Much as I do support his noble intention, myself being an alumnus of the school, and still looking after someone who attends the school, I find it a bit disturbing the message he delivered to the attendees. My worry and difficulty to comprehending his message emanate from the fact that the Parent Teacher Association for the school in a Newsletter to all parents/guardians dated 20 December 2017, stated amid wishing the recipients a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year the following:

“The Executives also wish to inform all parents and guardians that each student is required to pay an amount of GHc45.00 per term. This will take care of:

  1. GHc35.00 for extended classes of which permission was granted by the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

  1. GHc10.00 as medical expenses for the running of the school’s SICK BAY. All the necessary arrangements have been made with the Kumawu Polyclinic to take care of the health needs of our wards whilst on campus. There is the need to purchase some equipment and drugs for the treatment of our wards when they fall ill. An amount of GHc10.00 is being charged per student per term for this purpose”.

The Newsletter was signed by both Messrs Oppong Kyekyeku (P.T.A Chairman) and Alfred Kwanlah Lanboah (P.T.A. Secretary).

The said SICK BAY had been initiated by the P.T.A since December 2017. Therefore, for the DCE Samuel Addai Agyekum to follow the “Kumawuhene” Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua to the school only to announce as though he, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, was either the initiator or the provider of the “sick bay” demands more answers than questions..

Such cheap politicking is preposterous, to say the least. To promote Dr Yaw Sarfo, whose eligibility and acceptance as Kumawuhene by the Kumawuman subjects are in doubt, through dissemination of lies and false information amounts to abuse of power on the part of the DCE and Dr Yaw Sarfo himself. Dr Yaw Sarfo’s fate as whether he was genuinely elected and enthroned in conformity with conventions and the laws of the land is pending before the Law courts for final determination.

As far as I know, and may not hesitate to publish a true copy of the newsletter, it is not Dr Yaw Sarfo who is bringing back the SICK BAY to the school. He was rather the one who saw to its collapse through his connivance with then Headmaster of the School, now retired Mr Nantwi, my senior at the school in 1971. Mr Nantwi closed down the now called “Sick Bay” and offered the block as a hostel to the armed soldiers and policemen who used to come to Kumawu to terrorise those who were genuinely opposing the enthronement of Dr Yaw Sarfo as Kumawuhene by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. I placed out publications on the Ghana online news portals condemning the action by the Headmaster and his accomplices.

During my time at then Kumawu Tweneboa Kodua Secondary School, now Kumawu Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School, we used to call what is now the “sick bay” a Dispensary. It was manned by two female students who were both my senior. They opened it on certain days after classes for specified duration. They were doing voluntary job. The taller one among them now holds a PhD and is residing in the US. They did a marvellous job.

When Headmaster Nantwi was there, I understand they called it Infirmary. Had Mr Nantwi not out of myopic ideas and sheer stupidity cozied up to Dr Yaw Sarfo to facilitate his police intimidations of his rivals, the infirmary would not have closed down in the first place. During the many months it was still closed down, he was taking money from the students for services that were not being rendered until I raised the alarm in my publications.

For other dubious committals by him, he was transferred to Goaso Senior High School from where he proceeded on retirement last year.

I fully support the SICK BAY as I know the relevance of it in administering first aid and other health care needs that do not necessitate going to hospital, to the students. Nonetheless, for Dr Yaw Sarfo to claim he is the one bringing that facility to the school beats my gumption.

Will the P.T.A please step in to clarify this issue as it amounts to the underestimation of the parents/guardians’ intelligence? I do not want to spend time publishing my views making a mountain out of a politicking molehill by the DCE and Dr Yaw Sarfo. I hope the DCE is not being the lapdog of Dr Yaw Sarfo to perpetrate lies meant to prop his (Dr Yaw Sarfo’s) position.

In my next or future publication, I shall lay bare the hollowness of the DCE, Mr Kwasi Adusei and all those targeting the Kumawu Constituency Member of Parliament as being Alan’s supporter just to incur him the enmity of the President. They will be shocked at my revelation which will silence them and many NPP members of that hatred mentality forever.

Rockson Adofo

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