Civil Service dismisses Lily Mensah for visa deals

Accra, Jan. 29. GNA- Dr Alex Glover-Quartey, Head of the Civil Service, on Thursday directed that the appointment of Ms Lily Mensah, an Information Officer of the Information Services Department (ISD) be terminated from the Civil Service for her involvement in visa racketeering.

A statement from the office of the Head of the Civil Service and signed by Mr Godfried Yormesor, the Public Relations officer (PRO), the directive followed the rejection of a three- member committee report, which rather recommended sanction to be taken against her.

The committee under the chairmanship of Mr W.K. Kemevor, Director of the Human Resources Management Division of the Civil Service recommended that Ms Mensah should be demoted to Assistant Information Officer after the investigation of the case.

"In view of the gravity of the offence, the Head of Civil Service has directed the immediate termination of the appointment of Miss Lily Mensah from the Civil Service of Ghana," the statement said.

Dr Glover Quartey, the statement said, Ms Mensah, should be dismissed immediately and should not be demoted as was recommended. "Upon a critical study of the report, the Head of the Civil Service is of the view that the sanctions recommended by the committee are far too lenient, having regard to the various acts of malfeasance documented against her and that a much severer sanctions be imposed on her," it noted.

The statement said the Head of the Civil Service's decision was informed by the fact that Ms Mensah had committed similar acts while she was a staff at the Ministry of Justice.

"By that record, Miss Lily Mensah had gained notoriety as an incorrigible individual who does not deserve leniency and retention in the service.

"Indeed, the demotion of Lily Mensah and subsequent retention in the Civil Service, as recommended by the Committee, would not only give the Ghana Civil Service a poor corporate image, but create the unfortunate impression that the Ghana Civil Service was unable to deal firmly and drastically with Civil Servants who indulge in corrupt or fraudulent practices," the statement said.