The Pantang Hospital in the Greater Accra Region has become a hotbed of illegal activities, with criminals and social misfits taking over the premises, posing serious threats to staff, patients, and students.
The alarming situation includes theft, burglary, destruction of hospital property, and even prostitution, predominantly orchestrated by squatters who have illegally occupied parts of the hospital land.
To address the security concerns and restore order, the hospital management is collaborating with the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly (LaNMMA) to clear illegal structures and evict criminals from the premises.
The Pantang Hospital, originally intended to serve as a Pan-African mental health village, was left incomplete after the overthrow of Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Currently, the hospital lacks proper security measures, allowing squatters to settle on the premises and engage in unlawful activities.
The Daily Graphic's monitoring revealed that squatters have taken over the hospital entrance, erecting wooden structures as their homes and shops, creating an atmosphere of hopelessness and insecurity.
Unknown individuals have pulled down a significant portion of the recently constructed 1,500-meter stretch wall, potentially due to a land dispute.
Despite the presence of a police post in front of the hospital, various acts of unruliness continue to occur, including theft, robbery, and the establishment of illicit businesses within the hospital vicinity.
Dr Frank Baning, the Medical Director of the hospital, emphasized that the pervasive insecurity hampers efficient healthcare delivery and poses a constant threat to the safety of staff, students, and patients.
Efforts are being made to address the situation, as the hospital collaborates with the LaNMMA to remove the squatters and their illegal structures from the premises.
The Chief Executive of LaNMMA, Jennifer Dede Adjabeng, confirmed the partnership and highlighted the ongoing efforts to bring sanity to the hospital and its surroundings.
While some parts of the premises have been cleared, certain areas, including the frontage, remain occupied due to land ownership disputes, requiring legal resolution before further action can be taken.
Mrs Adjabeng assured that the assembly is engaging with both claimants of the land and the hospital management to find a solution and restore order to the hospital premises.
