The Ministry of Health has dismissed claims that he shielded Ralph St. Williams, the man accused of causing chaos at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge, after a video showed him exchanging pleasantries with the suspect.
Critics had accused the Minister of fraternising with an alleged criminal, but his office insists the encounter was misinterpreted.
According to the Health Ministry’s Head of Communications, Tony Goodman, the Minister had no prior knowledge of Ralph and only engaged him because hospital management had identified him as a patient on the scene.
“The Minister is not a policeman. Ralph, at that time, came to the hospital as a patient. We don’t expect the Minister for Health to be attacking a patient in a hospital. He has asked the police to do the right thing,” Goodman explained in an interview.
The controversy erupted after Ralph, who livestreamed his disruption of services at the hospital’s Emergency Department, was seen shaking hands and receiving what appeared to be a hug from the Minister during his visit.
The gesture, now widely circulated on social media, has fueled public anger and suspicions of political shielding, particularly because Ralph is said to have political connections with the ruling government.
Mr. Goodman stressed that the Minister’s immediate response after the encounter was to write to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command and alert the Inspector General of Police (IGP). He added that instructions were given to the Adabraka Police to take action, leading to the arrest of Ralph’s accomplice while Ralph himself fled the facility.
“The Minister has never interfered with the work of the police; his duty was to ensure security lapses are addressed, not to play law enforcement,” Goodman noted.
Beyond the controversy, the Minister has established a committee to investigate the Ridge incident, including the delays in patient care, the security breaches that allowed Ralph to disrupt services, and the broader question of staff and patient safety. The committee, which has been given seven days, is expected to make recommendations on whether permanent police presence is needed at critical points like the Accident and Emergency Unit.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has issued a strong ultimatum, demanding Ralph’s immediate arrest. The union has warned that if swift action is not taken to bring him to justice, they will lay down their tools in protest.
For them, the Minister’s handshake with Ralph symbolizes a deeper culture of impunity that undermines frontline health workers, and only decisive action by the police can restore confidence and prevent a nationwide strike.
