Tension At GBC

...As Board Members, Others Team Up Against Director General.

From the days of Mr. Fiifi Hesse, Mr Anaglate, Mr. Seth Ago till the  days of Ms. Eva Lokko, the appointment and termination of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s Director General has been ritually characterized by suspicions, conspiracy, controversy and workers’ agitation.

Credible information reaching The Daily Democrat indicates that there is a grand conspiracy between some board members led by the chairman, Prof. John Aheto and some top level management personnel to push out of office the Director General of the Corporation, Mr. William Ampem Darko to pave way for few selfish individuals to continue bleeding the corporation.

It is alleged that the determination of the top personnel is motivated by the fact that they have been deprived of their illegitimate source of income to the detriment of the establishment.

According to an insider, some members of the board are actively involved in the day to day running of the corporation contrary to their mandate.. The mandate of the board, like all other boards in the country, is to give a long term direction and the general guidance of the establishment and not to be involved in the micro management of the establishment. Â Â Â Â Â

Prior to the assumption of office by Mr Ampem Darko in July 2007, the average monthly revenue of GBC was GH¢200, 000 (2billion cedis). Presently, through his efforts and blocking of loopholes, the Corporation is now making over GH¢800,000 (8billion cedis).

The agenda to push the Director General is believed to be engineered by some disgruntled members of staff led by a former regional manager who was transferred to the Head Quarters for his outrageous monthly fuel expenditure.

It was revealed that he (former regional manager) was spending over GH¢ 4,000 (40 million cedis) a month but the figure dropped drastically to about GH¢1,000 (10million cedis) when a new regional director took over.

This decision by Mr. Ampem Darko has helped the corporation to save the only National Television Station GH¢3,000 (30 million cedis) a month from that region.

The former regional manager, in a face saving move to win  workers’ sympathy put up a negative publication in one of the national dailies to tarnished the image of the Director General and drag GBC’s hard won image into the mud. His subsequent interviews to some radio stations also backfired. The paper gathered that, due to his attitude the corporation later discharged him of his service.

The new board, which was appointed this year, has taken some decisions considered to be outside their jurisdiction. The board has reversed the appointment of the Head of Marketing Department without the knowledge of Mr.Ampem Darko.

The Board has also gone ahead to interview and elect candidates for the positions of Head of Audit and Human resources manager.

The new board has also re-instated the regional director, who was dismissed for gross misconduct without consultation with the Director General. According to a source close to the board, the agenda is to frustrate Mr. Ampem Darko to compel him to resign since the board has no powers to sack him. The National Media Commission is the only institution that appoints GBC Director General and also has the powers to dismiss or compel him/her to resign.

Some workers were of the opinion that the board must not interfere with the day to day operations of GBC in order to allow Mr. Darko to continue to restore the credibility and good image of the corporation as an independent public broadcaster. “His achievements and transformation chalked under his administration is evident”, they added.

Mr. Ampem Darko, who took a month of his 2008 and 2009 accumulated leave in 1st October, 2009 resumed on Monday, 2nd November, 2009 only to be greeted with another leave form already signed by the Board Chairman, Prof, John Aheto for him to fill and proceed on leave.

Interestingly, the board has agreed to a leave schedule for all top management personnel to take their 2008 and 2009 annual leave in batches.

The board’s haste in taking decisions during the one month period the director general was on his annual leave raises suspicion. Â

The 1992 constitution states that, the Commission shall appoint the chairmen and other members of the governing bodies of public corporations managing the state-owned media in consultation with the President

The commission is task by the constitution to insulate the state-owned media from governmental control except as otherwise provided by this Constitution or by any other law not inconsistent with this Constitution, the National Media Commission shall not be subjected to the direction or control of any person or authority in the performance of its functions.

Subject to article 167 of this Constitution, the National Media Commission shall not exercise any control or direction over the professional functions of a person engaged in the production of newspapers or other means of communication.

Typical duties of boards of directors include governing the organization by establishing broad policies and objectives; selecting, appointing, supporting and reviewing the performance of the chief executive; ensuring the availability of adequate financial resources; approving annual budgets; accounting to the stakeholders for the organization's performance

by Emmanuel Opare Djan