Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Minister for Health
The Ministry of Health on 31st March 2023 issued a new regulation regarding the use of escalators within the Ministry as part of measures to adjust to the ongoing government’s economic restructuring program.
According to a memorandum signed by Director of General Administration, Frank Raji, the newly-approved regulation restricts the use of the escalator for visitors, staff, and management members beyond the third floor of the ministry.
Apart from proscribing those not going beyond the third from using the conveyor, the policy has set aside days to be observed as no lift days.
Of the five working days of the week, management has set aside Tuesdays and Thursdays as no-lift days. What that means essentially is that the lift in the ministry would not be open to use these days.
The Management introduced these regulations due to the negative impact on the ministry’s finances caused by the escalator’s maintenance costs. Raji explained that the decision to regulate escalator use was made after a thorough consultation process, and approved by management.
‘This situation is impacting negatively on the finances of the Ministry and has therefore become necessary for Management to regulate the use of the elevator by introducing the following;
- , No use of the elevator from the 1st to the 3rd floor
- No lift days on Tuesdays and Thursdays
The memo read.
Unfortunately, the Management of the Ministry did not consider the plight of vulnerable individuals with a disability, pregnant women, the aged and children in the implementation of the initiative.
He said the need to issue a regulation on escalators arose from a noticeable gap in the government’s effort to restructure the economy of the country.
Raji said Management has also seen the humongous amount of funds that go into the maintenance of the facility.
He called on all, particularly the staff and management to support the initiative by complying and creating awareness.
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian government attributes the country’s economic crisis to the global crises of Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic, a stance that has drawn a response from the Russian Ambassador to Ghana.
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