By Kingsley Mamore
Kpassa (O/R), July 30, GNA – Pressure is mounting on the Assembly Member for the Tinjasi Electoral Area in the Nkwanta North District of the Oti Region, Mr Samuel Konja, to publicly apologise to the Midwife of the community’s health centre.
This followed allegations that he assaulted the only midwife at the Tinjasi Health Centre, an incident that had disrupted healthcare delivery in the farming community.
The alleged assault has resulted in the withdrawal of the midwife from the facility, leaving pregnant women and other patients without access to maternal healthcare services and sparking concern among residents, traditional authorities and health workers.
Traditional leaders and community members had appealed to the Assembly Member to apologise to the District Health Directorate, health professionals and the affected midwife, to pave the way for the restoration of normal healthcare services at the facility.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ubor Mamul, the Chief of Tinjasi said the matter came to the attention of the traditional authorities, after reports emerged that the Assembly Member had allegedly assaulted the midwife while she was on duty.
The chief said the traditional authorities had invited Mr Konja to explain his side of the incident.
“He told us that he did not intentionally go to the health facility to assault the midwife, but as he was passing by the facility, a woman who had gone to seek healthcare called him to make some complains to him,” the chief stated.
The chief said the Assembly Member explained that the woman alleged that she had been asked by the midwife to return with her husband before she could be attended to.
Ubor Mamul said the Assembly Member also informed the chiefs that he decided to seek clarification from the midwife over the complaint.
The chief said the Assembly Member claimed that during the discussion, the midwife insulted him after he questioned her actions, and that he responded by reminding her of what he described as “a previous incident involving the death of his brother’s wife.”
The chief said the exchange escalated into a confrontation, during which the midwife reportedly fell to the ground and although the Assembly Member maintained that he did not physically touch her, the traditional authorities were not convinced by his explanation.
“After listening to his narration, we concluded that he should apologise because the circumstances surrounding the incident raise serious concerns,” the chief said.
The chief questioned why the midwife who had been carrying out her official duties without incident, only fell after the confrontation with the Assembly Member, saying “If nothing happened between them, why would she suddenly fall after he confronted her?”.
Ubor Mamul said the chiefs believed an apology would help calm tensions in the community and restore confidence between health workers and residents.
Some youth and women in the community also echoed their call for an apology, describing the alleged assault as unacceptable and an abuse of authority.
They warned that continued silence from the Assembly Member could heighten tensions within the community and further undermine healthcare delivery.
The residents appealed to the Nkwanta North District Assembly, the Ghana Health Service and other relevant authorities to intervene swiftly, to resolve the impasse and ensure the immediate restoration of maternal healthcare services at the Tinjasi Health Centre.
The incident has generated widespread public concern, particularly because the health centre has been left without a resident midwife, forcing pregnant women to travel long distances to access antenatal, delivery and postnatal services in neighbouring communities.
When contacted by the GNA for his response, Mr Konja questioned the correspondent about how his telephone number had been obtained before ending the call.
Subsequent attempts by the GNA to reach him for further comment proved unsuccessful as he did not answer repeated telephone calls.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/ Christabel Addo