News:
October 19, 2011
The Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Wa West Joseph Yieleh Chireh who is currently on leave has refuted reports that he is in his constituency to campaign to be retained as Member of Parliament for the area.
The Minister has come under blistering condemnation from a section of the public for embarking on leave of duty at a time that his ministry is being criticized for poor handling of the ongoing strike by Doctors.
He stated in an interview on Peace FM on Wednesday that he was granted leave purely on medical grounds and that his doctors advised him to do exercises explaining that is the motive for his travel to his constituency, especially when he has not visited the his hometown for a while.
The government in a swift effort to clear the controversy that was created following the announcement of the President decision to grant him his leave issued a statement saying that “the President granted the Health Minister his request for leave on the 11th of October, 2011 purely on medical grounds.”
However today edition of the Chronicle newspaper is reported that Mr Joseph is busily campaigning in his Wa West Constituency of the Upper West Region.
According to the paper, “Mr Yieleh Chireh was at the Dabu Electoral Area in the Upper West Region on Tuesday, holding meetings with NDC executives in the constituency, in a bid to retain him to contest the [parliamentary] elections” next year.
But Mr Yieleh Chireh however maintained that he is on medical leave although he admited he has been interacting with his constituents.
He said he does not necessarily need to be personally present in Accra personal to resolve the doctors’ strike, stating the need for emphasis to be placed on institutional mechanisms which have the capacity to address the grievances of the striking doctors.
Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh