K.K. Sarpong's "Takeover" of GNPC's Procurement Processes Is Problematic – Group

Company News from Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Source: citinewsroom.com

2019-02-12

Researcher at the Strategic Energy Forum, Kojo Danquah described the decision of Dr. K. K Sarpong, Director General of the Ghana Petroleum Cooperation (GNPC), to add the procurement function to its problematic role.

According to him, Dr. K. K. Sarpong employed a driver, who also acted as driver and security guard without due process.

Speaking about eyewitnesses, Kojo Danquah said the real problem was that he had introduced an entirely new person instead of sticking to the usual tradition of GNPC, according to which one person is chosen from the drivers of the transport department of the organization.

"The CEO is supposed to choose one of the drivers from the pool of drivers we have in the transport sector, within the organization and in this case, KK Sarpong has not allowed to this process continues but has rather brought in someone from the outside who is entirely new. "

"It's very problematic. The problem is that Dr. KK Sarpong, who is the CEO of GNPC right now, has employed a driver whose staff is described as a driver and a security officer without following established procedures, by giving this person GHc8800 . Which is more than the chief pilot who has been working for GNPC for 23 years is paid, "he said.

He further called on the CEO and the entire organization to answer questions about how this person was employed and to report on all the processes followed to get the job.

John Gatsi, a senior professor at the University of Cape Coast, also fears that this decision will undermine the transparency of the institution and create a conflict of interest situation only if it is applied.

"It's unfortunate, because that's not what the arrangement on corporate governance should be. The CEO of the company is expected to be the general supervisor of activities within the company, but it should be placed directly under the authority of a purchasing manager. So when you take on the role of the procurement officer an additional role to play, you limit the effectiveness of transparency, you limit the liability and you introduce the possibility of a conflict of interest, so I think that the process must be reversed immediately, "he said.

Dr. K. K. Sarpong, Director General of the Ghana National Cooperation for Petroleum (GNPC), is currently under pressure to reconsider a decision to directly badign him to the procurement function of the Company's Chief Financial Officer.