It appears the allegations by some senior members of the National Democratic Congress that the processes that led to the appointments of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives by President Mahama fell short of wider or no consultations are claims that cannot be discounted as mere tales coming from disgruntled old men.
The recent appointment of persons as Board Chairmen and Members of certain state owned companies by the President; with the kind of controversy that surrounds it, some of which hinges on conflict of interests, has rekindled the issue among linchpins of the ruling party.
A senior party member who pleaded anonymity told The Al-Hajj that whiles it was thought that advisors of the President would have drawn useful lessons from the kind of damaging uproar President Mahama’s appointments generated, and use it as a benchmark in doing meticulous and diligent work in future appointments to forestall any agitations and negative criticisms, the appointments of industrialist, Mr. Tony Oteng Gyasi and Lawyers Tony Lithur and Sam Cudjoe as board chairmen and member respectfully proves otherwise.
According to the NDC bigwigs, though Lawyers, Lithur and Cudjoe are people of their own right, whose competence is not in doubt and more-so, the President did not breach any law in appointing them as Board Chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited and Board member of the Electricity Company of Ghana respectively, but contemporary governance frowns at appointments by patronage.
“What makes the appointment of the two senior lawyers look like a reward rather than an appointment based on merit is that, both seasoned lawyers were attorneys for the President in the recently adjudicated election petition challenging his legitimacy”
“Indeed, lawyer Lithur whose wife is the Minister of Gender and Social Protection was the President’s lead counsel whiles lawyer Sam Cudjoe was a supporting attorney for the President’s party, the National Democratic Congress. Less than one month after the case; these people are appointed to head state institutions, what do you expect people to say?” The NDC man intoned.
Similarly, he said, Mr. Tony Oteng Gyasi’s competence and integrity is unquestionable and his appointment as Board Chairman of ECG should have been a welcome development; especially, knowing his capabilities when he was President of the Association of Ghana Industries. However, what makes him unfit for that position is his private company’s relationship with the very government institution he is now going to superintend.
“Since Mr. Oteng Gyasi is the sole owner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tropical Cables & Conductors Limited, it would have been morally upright for the President not to consider him for that position, and more so, for the former AGI president to decline taking the position, particularly when his company and two other cable manufacturing companies are strong competitors who have been haggling over ECG contracts.
“Just as the Dagbani proverb says ‘there is no way your mother will be selling Shea butter and you will be walking with dry feet,’ it will be the eighth wonder of the world for Mr. Oteng Gyasi as Board Chairman of ECG to convince anyone that he will ‘sit down’ and allow other competing companies to win juicy contracts over his own company,” he stated.
According to him, it is clear the Chief Executive of Tropical Cables & Conductors Limited’s appointment was in bad faith and his continuous stay in office as Board Chairman of ECG is an incontestable case of conflict of interest no matter how the coin is flipped.
The NDC man added that, human as we are, not even Mr. Oteng Gyasi’s resignation as Chief Executive of the firm will save the situation and therefore, the morally upright thing for the President to do, if indeed, he believes in fairness and good governance is to revoke the appointment of Mr. Oteng Gyasi or better still, for the man himself to voluntarily abdicate the position to keep his hard won integrity intact.
In the case of lawyers, Lithur and Sam Cudjoe, he said, even though their appointments do not fall in the bracket of conflict of interest, the fact that they fought to preserve Mr. John Mahama’s presidency is a manifestation that they are very dear to the president, and therefore will be seen by their colleagues on the Boards as ‘untouchable’ or as those who must be obeyed.
“Truth be told, no member of the Board both lawyers are serving on, or the Chief Executive of either Ghana Airport Company or ECG will dare question their decisions or dare raise an alarm in the duo’s actions and or inactions.”
He noted that, the trepidation of the Chief Executives and their colleague Board Members will be that: both Lawyers are cherished eyes of the President, therefore any attempt to hold them in check and question their decisions even if it does not make sense will amount to preparing one’s own dismissal letter.
In the wake of this avoidable gaffe by the president, particularly in the case of Mr. Oteng Gyasi, the NDC senior member said if the President had taken time to consult all those who matters in the ruling party the situation could have been avoidable.
He insisted that the appointment of Oteng Gyasi puts his company in an advantageous position ahead of companies like Nexans Kabelmetal (GH) Limited and Reroy Cables Limited when it comes to winning government contracts.
“This lack of consultation and doing things on the spur of the moment is what some of us have complained about since the President started appointing people to positions. As I said earlier, I will be the last person to say Mr. Lithur, Mr. Cudjoe or Mr. Oteng Gyasi should not be appointed to certain position for reasons of incompetence…these are people of high competence in their chosen fields, who have the needed expertise to occupy any public positions,” the NDC linchpin added.
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