Sir John and seven others not dismissed – Minister of Information

General News on Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Source: dailyguideafrica.com

2019-01-29

The Ministry of Information urged the public and state institutions' actors to disregard the list of CEOs presumed to have been ordered to go on leave in because of their age.

Speaking to the press in Accra yesterday, the information minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the presidency had issued no orders.

Reacting to reports in the media last Friday that eight directors of public institutions should leave by the end of March 2019, Nkrumah said: "The government has not written to any director general to retire. .. it's not true. "

However, the minister, who also serves as the deputy of the Atoase-Ayirebi constituency, pointed out that some CEOs who have reached retirement age are "engaged by the government", although 39, no directive was transmitted to them to resign.

"If it remains the prerogative of the president to engage or disengage the services of the directors of state companies, he exercises those powers after the required participation. If the president chooses at any time to disengage the services of any director general, it will be done as always, according to the established procedure, "he said.

In an interview with Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", the industry minister said the government issued a statement saying the number of appointees had been dismissed as usual.

"… There are age constraints on length of service in the public service. And once the age constraint is lifted, these people will be hired and a final decision will be announced to the nation. These are experienced members. It is not surprising that anyone tells such stories, but as this morning, no such orders were given, "he said.

On Friday, reports revealed that eight CEOs had been ordered to leave their positions by March 2019.

Eugene Ofosuhene, 67, Controller and General Accountant; Kofi Jumah, 68, General Manager of Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC); Isaac Osei, 67, General Manager of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR); Kwame Owusu, 67, CEO of the Ghana Maritime Authority; Anthony Nsiah-Asare, 65, Director General, Ghana Health Service; Samuel Annor, 64, CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority; Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, Director General of the Forestry Commission, is commonly referred to as Sir John, 65, and K. K. Sarpong, 65, General Manager of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

According to the report, the eight people exceeded the mandatory retirement age of 60 provided for in the Civil Service Act, which requires public officials to retire at the age of sixty (60) years, with a possible extension of five (5) additional years.

Indeed, the age of the CEOs concerned indicated that they had exceeded the legal age required to join the public service, thereby giving credence to the so-called orders from the seat of government.

But as of yesterday, the CEOs of the eight state institutions have still not received a letter from the appointing authority urging them to withdraw.

According to them, in accordance with the rules of engagement governing their appointments, they are expected to receive letters informing them of any such action, but no letter has been sent.