Drama At National Service

• As Replaced Prodigal Accounts Staff Plead For Mercy

Drama is unfolding at the National Service Secretariat (NSS) as the accounts staff who recently resigned from the Secretariat citing “gross disrespect, intimidation, unwarranted and authoritative orders” on the part of the Executive Director, Mr. Vincent Kuagbenu, are now on their knees begging to get their lost jobs back, now that they have been replaced by a new staff.

In a letter dated 19th October 2009 to the Executive Director, the 5 ‘prodigal’ staff of the Accounts Department, William Zoogah, former Chief Accountant, Lawrence A. Ahenkorah, a former Accountant, James Kwadwo Osei, a former staff of Controller & Accountant general Department assigned to the NSS, Aisha Yiwere, former Accounts Officer and Marian Marfo a volunteer Accounts Staff indicated their decision to withdraw their resignation in preparedness to resume work, stating that “This action is in recognition of the fact that the NSS Board has indicated its decision to investigate the matter. It is also in view of the ongoing audit inspection of which the accounts staff are key.” Unfortunately, the Controller & Accountant General’s Department had already replaced them, a situation that has brought a whole new dramatic dimension to the raging saga.

The 5 had tendered in their resignation on 14th October 2009, claiming inability to work under the new Executive Director and hence their decision to hang their gloves. The mass resignation was accepted and duly signed by the Executive Director signifying that the five resigned accounts staff ceased to be staff of the NSS.

As a result of the resignation of the 5 people, whose intention was to incite public anger against their new boss who took office just months ago, the Controller & Accountant General’s Department in ensuring that work continued smoothly at the NSS, on 15th October 2009 posted a new set of 5 accounts staff to the NSS to replace the resigned staff.

A letter signed by Grace F. Adzroe, Deputy Controller & Accountant General (F&A) indicated the postings for the replacements of the resigned 5 at the NSS as follows: Prosper Dagadu, a Chief Accountant at the Town and Country Planning Department as Head of Accounts, Nelson Ayeltiga, a Principal Accountant at Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA, AgSSIP) as Additional Staff, Habib Issah, an accountant at PPD-T/HQRS as Additional Staff, Adam Baba Ziblim, an Accountant at Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) treasury as Additional Staff and Stella Appiah who was an accounts officer at T/HQRS also as Additional Staff. Indications are that the 5 people, by their unpopular action, only intended to exert pressure on the powers that be to remove the Executive Director from post and replace him with someone else they can feel ‘comfortable’ working with. Unfortunately enough for them, they appear to have hit a snag and thus are beating a retreat but it does appear as though it is too late in the day for them as their positions have already been occupied by others. Realising their mistake and sensing danger that they may become redundant, the resigned 5 have beaten a retreat but are finding it difficult to get their lost jobs back.

The brouhaha began when the Mr. Vincent Sena Kuagbenu, on assuming office as Executive Director of the NSS, decided to streamline things at the Service to ensure efficiency, productivity, elimination of fraudulent activities and value for money, incurred the wrath of some of his staff who are not happy with the new measures.

Notable among the cases was his decision to ensure that his Deputy, Mr. Nii Laryea Squire’s salary was used to defray the cost of his private use of a mobile phone belonging to the Service whiles he was on leave. The bill, amounting to GH¢2400, which the Deputy Executive Director, an NPP stalwart, incurred in just a month whiles on leave, was being forced on the Service by him but was rejected on the orders of his boss. There is more coming up on this issue. Stay tuned.