RE: GWCL chief managers in hot waters

In the June 30, 2017, edition of this paper, we carried a story with the above caption in which some adverse allegations were made against certain chief managers of the Ghana Water Company Ltd.

In it, it was variously alleged that through their deliberate decisions, Ing. Ogua and other chief managers like Engineers Michael Botsie Baidoo and Bampoe have caused a lot of harm to the national economy and the people of Ghana.

Further checks have however revealed some inaccuracies in the said story.

For example, Ing Ogua was accused of inflating the cost of the Winneba plant expansion works in 2003 where huge sums were siphoned from the company. He was also said to be involved in the purchase of expired water treatment chemicals to treat water for consumers in 2012 and some faulty water treatment filters not receiving attention till the then Minister for Works and Housing, Hon Alhaji Collins Dauda, ordered GWCL management to have the filters fixed within three months or they will have him to contend with.

Our investigations have revealed that there was not and has not been any official or unofficial report from any quarter alleging any financial impropriety on the part of Ing Ogua during or after the execution of the Winneba Water Project, let alone inflating the project cost.

As far as the alleged purchasing of the expired chemicals and the faulty filters are concerned, our checks have revealed that being the chief manager for Business Planning at that time, he could not have played any role in those two events since those were outside his schedule.

Furthermore there was no such position as a "ranking member" in the Ghana Urban Water Company.

The said story is therefore retracted, and apologies hereby rendered to Engineers Botsie Baidoo, Bampo and Ogua.