Labour Expert Blames Central Medical Stores Fire On Greed And Selfishness

A Labour Expert, Mr. Boakye Amponsah Yiadom has attributed the cause of the disastrous fire-outbreak that gutted the Central Medical Stores at Tema to greed and selfishness on the part of some of its staff.

According to him, the fire which burnt down Tema Central Medical Stores last year was an act of corruption which has gained root among employees who after being paid their respective salaries decided to steal from their employers.

Investigation into the fire outbreak at the Central Medical Stores (CMS) has established that the fire was deliberately set to destroy evidence of theft and massive fraud.

The destruction of evidence was after the Economic and Organised Crime Office completed its investigations into the circumstances surrounding the expiration of large quantities of drugs and medical items at the stores.

Among the irregularities and fraudulent activities in the procurement and allocation to health institution revealed by national security investigation were the malaria Control Programme managers and diversion of large quantities of anti-malarial drugs meant for public institutions.

Commenting on the findings of the national security agency, Mr. Boakye on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show described the revelation as embarrassing to find the caliber of personnel involved in the dastardly act despite the huge salaries they take monthly.

He feared if this continues, the government will be forced to employ the service of foreigners to man institutions such as the Tema Central Medical Stores as widely acclaimed that the whites are not corrupt.

“What will make people to do this to Ghana is greed; what have taken deep root in Ghanaian society which we must campaign against are greed and selfishness . . . what will prompt them steal the medicines which the country has used hard currency to import into the country if not greed and selfishness?

He said the country is in danger if such people who enjoy free cars, fuel and government bungalows are stealing from the state; wondering what the labourers will do to earn enough to add up to their salaries.

He therefore pinpointed that there are breakdown in the system as internal controls are not effective to keep institutional heads on their toes; asserting that Central Medical Stores may not have effective internal and external auditors to audit quarterly to the make the accountable always.

“For all you know, there has not been an audit the whole year and people steal when there are loopholes. There must be quarterly auditing and it shouldn’t be one audit firm due to the nature of the place…such are the incidents when mandated authorities are ineffective with their work,” he asserted.