The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says it will investigate and take appropriate action on the allegation of sexual assault levelled against one of its directors in the Savannah Region.
The Sawla-Tuna-Kalba district manager of the NHIA, Mahama Sakara has been accused by a nurse at the Soma CHPS facility of attempting to forcibly have sex with her.
According to her, Mr. Sakara who came to the facility under the guise of a monitoring exercise persuaded her to give in to his sexual demands but later engaged in a struggle with her after she refused and in the process, his fingers entered her vagina.
She subsequently reported the matter to the police and wrote to the NHIA seeking justice.
Issahak Abdul Latif, the Regional Director of the NHIA confirmed to Citi News that he has received the letter and has forwarded it to the Chief Executive Officer at the Headquarters in Accra for action.
“As the Regional Director, my responsibility was just to deliver the letter which I have done and so for now, I will say we have received the letter and it has been forwarded to the final destination which is the Chief Executive of the Authority and we are waiting for appropriate response,” said.
He added that the Mahama Sakara has admitted knowing the nurse in question and said he was aware of the petition against him.
“I spoke to him asking whether he was aware and he said yes he knew the lady and secondly he was equally aware that a petition of such a nature was on its way to the Regional [NHIA] Office… Investigations will surely be done by the head office…I want to assure the general public that very soon they will hear a pronouncement from the head office,” he added.
Read excerpts of the petition below:
“At about 9 am on the 8th of July 2020, the District Manager of Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Scheme (Mahama Sakara) in the Savannah Region arrived at Soma CHPS with the mission of monitoring.”
“However, when we got into the facility, Mr Mahama Sakara (the Sawla NHIA Manager) started making sexual demands. Upon several pleading that I was engaged to a man, Mr Sakara engaged me in a struggle to have sex with me. In the process, his (Sakara) fingers entered my vagina but could not have sexual intercourse with me.”
“This incident was reported to the Sawla Police Station on the 9th of July, 2020 pending investigation. Equally, I have reported the incident of this attempted rape and sexual harassment to Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Health Directorate.”
“I am calling on your good office as a reputable key partner in Ghana health care delivery, to investigate and institute the appropriate sanctions on Mr Mahama Sakara. He used his position as a District Manager to gain entry into Soma CHPS leading to such shameful sexual assault.”
“It is my firm hope that this matter be properly investigated to maintain the goodwill that exists between the National Health Insurance Authority and your cherished health care provider staff.
“I have an audio recording of what transpired at die facility at a point when it was then clear that Mr. Sakara was on sex satisfaction escapade not monitoring. Counting on your esteem office for justice.”
