The Ridge Assault Investigative Committee has submitted its findings to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh following the August 17, 2025, confrontation at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital’s Emergency Department (GARH). The incident, which went viral on social media, initially sparked outrage over alleged physical assault on a nurse.
No Proof of Physical Assault
The committee confirmed that no physical assault was captured on video or corroborated by eyewitnesses. Instead, it found evidence of a heated verbal exchange between Mr Ralph St Williams, some riders, and hospital staff.
The alleged victim, Ms Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotation nurse, reported pain in her hand a day after the incident, but a medical examination showed no fractures or dislocations. She was treated with pain relief and offered psychological support.
Broken Machines, Delayed Care
While emergency care for the head injury patient was not delayed by staff negligence, the committee highlighted a crippling breakdown of diagnostic equipment. At the time of the incident, all imaging machines (X-ray, CT, MRI) at the Emergency Department were non-functional, forcing referrals outside the facility.
This systemic failure, the report noted, fuelled public frustration and confrontations.
Staff Shortages and Security Lapses
The probe revealed severe manpower shortages:
- Only seven medical officers and two specialists were available for the entire month of August.
- Out of 88 nursing staff assigned, just 54 were at post, with 34 unaccounted for.
Security was also found wanting. Just one private guard per shift was stationed at the busy Emergency Department, with no immediate police presence. The existing police post on hospital grounds was deemed too far from the ED to provide a quick response.
An Overstretched Emergency Department
The GARH Emergency Unit, already operating at near 100% bed occupancy, is buckling under pressure as it handles most trauma and acute cases in the region, worsened by the closure of the La General Hospital.
Ralph St Williams’ Defence
In a written submission, Mr St Williams:
- Denied physically assaulting any staff.
- Claimed he was provoked by comments from a nurse.
- Said his videos, including a Facebook Live feed, were intended to highlight delays, not to target patients.
Committee Recommendations
The report proposed sweeping reforms:
Security
- Add more security officers at the ED and ambulance bay.
- Station police officers during peak hours.
- Expand CCTV coverage for accountability.
Staffing
- Recruit more clinical staff for GARH’s ED.
- Employ client service officers to manage patient relations.
Equipment
- Repair or replace faulty X-ray, CT, and MRI machines immediately.
Nationwide Reforms
- Strengthen human resource capacity in emergency care.
- Expand secondary-level hospitals across regions.
- Equip facilities with affordable diagnostic tools.
- Intensify public education on the role of emergency departments.
Bigger Than Ridge
While the viral video painted Ridge Hospital as the centre of chaos, the committee stressed that the incident exposed a national health system under strain, where broken machines, weak security, and chronic understaffing remain the real threats to emergency care.
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