EXPLAINER: What is happening between Abeiku Santana and Efua Houdjeto?

The issue between Abeiku Santana and Maame Efua Houadjeto centres on access to the CEO, communication between senior executives and the timely approval of official assignments at the Ghana Tourism Authority.

The available letters establish a disagreement over access and availability but do not establish a personal feud.

1. Who are the two officials?

1. Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey Santana: Popularly known as Abeiku Santana, he is a Ghanaian broadcaster, tourism advocate and entrepreneur. He was appointed Deputy CEO of the GTA in February 2025 and is responsible for Marketing and Special Duties.

2. Maame Efua Houadjeto: She is the CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority and, in that capacity, leads the authority's executive management.

The GTA is the public institution responsible for promoting and marketing Ghana as a tourism destination, among other functions. Its work involves tourism promotion, stakeholder engagement, events and the development of the country's tourism industry.

2. What triggered the disagreement?

On October 22, 2026, Abeiku Santana wrote to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie.

He said he had repeatedly sought appointments through the CEO's secretary or personal assistant but was informed that she was unavailable.

According to him, this had made it difficult to obtain timely guidance, approvals and decisions on urgent assignments. He said the problem sometimes delayed operations, stakeholder engagements and the implementation of key tasks.

His request was for the minister, with the knowledge of the GTA Board Chairperson, to help establish a more effective arrangement for consultations between the two offices.

3. What was Efua Houdjeto's response?

In her response to the Board Chairperson, Mrs Houadjeto said she was surprised and disappointed that her deputy's letter did not reflect what she considered the true state of her availability.

She maintained that she operated an “OPEN DOOR” policy, especially for executive and senior management officers.

However, she also acknowledged the importance of timely consultations and proposed five measures to strengthen internal communication and coordination.

These included regular executive meetings, a procedure for escalating urgent matters, better scheduling of consultations, clearer delegation of decision-making responsibilities and regular management coordination.

Her response therefore combined a defence of her availability with proposals to improve administrative processes.

4. Is this a personal feud?

The letters do not provide sufficient evidence to conclude that the two officials are engaged in a personal feud.

Abeiku explicitly said his intention was not to make a personal complaint. The CEO, meanwhile, expressed disappointment over the description of her availability but said she valued her deputy's contribution and expected them to continue working collaboratively.

The disagreement is best described, on the available evidence, as a dispute over executive access and internal communication.

Whether deeper tensions exist within the authority cannot be established from these documents alone.

5. What are the implications for the Ghana Tourism Authority?

The key concern is how delays in communication and decision-making could affect public-sector operations.

If urgent approvals are delayed, planned events, marketing campaigns, stakeholder engagements and tourism initiatives could be affected. However, the letters do not identify specific projects that failed, quantify financial losses or establish the extent of any disruption.

The CEO's proposed measures could provide a practical solution if implemented effectively. Regular meetings would establish predictable opportunities for consultation, while an escalation procedure could help resolve urgent matters when the CEO is unavailable.

Clear delegation would also help officials understand which decisions they can make independently and which require approval from the CEO.

The key question is whether the two offices can turn the exchange into a workable system that improves decision-making without disrupting the authority's mandate.

The two letters: Full text as supplied

The following letters are reproduced as provided, without editing or correcting their wording, spelling or grammar.

Letter 1: Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey to the minister

CHALLENGES IN SECURING TIMELY ACCESS TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR OFFICIAL CONSULTATIONS AND DECISION MAKING

I wish to bring to your attention a recurring challenge in accessing the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for consultations on urgent operational matters relating to my responsibilities as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, particularly in Domestic Tourism, Special Events, and Marketing.

On several occasions, I have had to request meetings through the CEO's secretary or personal assistant, only to be informed that she is unavailable. While I appreciate the demands on her schedule, this has made it difficult to obtain timely guidance, approvals, and decisions needed to carry out my duties effectively. This situation sometimes causes delays in operations, stakeholder engagements, and the implementation of key assignments.

My intention is not to make a personal complaint, but to highlight a communication gap that needs to be addressed in the interest of effective management and institutional efficiency.

I therefore respectfully seek your intervention, with the knowledge of the Board Chairperson, to help establish a more effective communication and consultation arrangement between the CEO and my office, especially on urgent official matters.

I remain committed to working professionally with the CEO and the entire management team to achieve the Ministry's objectives and strengthen the performance of the Ghana Tourism Authority.

Thank you, Honourable Minister, for your attention, understanding, and guidance.

Yours faithfully,

GILBERT ABEIKU AGGREY

DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (MARKETING & SPECIAL DUTIES)

Letter 2: Maame Efua Houadjeto's response to the Board Chairperson

RESPONSE TO CONCERNS REGARDING ACCESS TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR OFFICIAL CONSULTATTONS AND DECISION-MAKING

I acknowledge receipt of the letter dated 22 October 2026 regarding the challenges raised by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Marketing & Special Duties regarding timely access of my office for consultations on urgent operational matters.

I appreciate him bringing this matter to my attention and recognizing the importance of effective communication, timely decision-making, and close coordination among the Authonty's executive management to ensure the efficient discharge of our respective responsibilities. And this reason is why I, as the Chief Executive Officer, operates an OPEN DOOR policy, especially when it comes to Executive and Senior management officers of our organization.

As an institution entrusted with advancing Ghana's tourism industry, the Ghana Tourism Authority must operate on the principles of professionalism, mutual respect, accountability, and collective responsibility. It is therefore important that any communication gaps that may impede the execution of official assignments are identified and addressed promptly in the best interest of the Authority.

I acknowledge that the responsibilities of the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, particularly in the areas of Domestic Tourism, Special Events, Marketing, and other assigned duties, require timely consultations and decisions on matters that may have operational, financial, strategic, or stakeholder implications. I agree that appropriate arrangements must be in place to ensure that urgent matters receive the necessary attention without undue delay.

In as much as I am surprised and disappointed that the letter does not reflect the true state of my availability to you as my deputy Chief Executive Officer, I propose that we strengthen our internal consultation and communication arrangements through the following measures:

Scheduled Executive Consultations: Establish regular meetings between the Chief Executive Officer and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer to review departmental priorities, operational challenges, ongoing assignments, and matters requiring executive direction.

Urgent Matters and Escalation: Introduce a clear procedure for flagging urgent matters requiring immediate attention, including appropriate channels for escalation where a scheduled consultation is not possible.

Coordination Through the Executive Office: Ensure that requests for meetings and consultations are appropriately communicated, acknowledged, and scheduled by the relevant officers, with due consideration given to the urgency and importance of each matter.

Clear Delegation and Decision-Making: Strengthen clarity regarding delegated responsibilities, approval processes, and matters requiring the direct intervention of the Chief Executive Officer, in accordance with the Authority's established administrative and governance procedures.

Regular Management Coordination: Encourage constructive engagement among members of the executive management team to minimize delays, resolve operational challenges, and ensure the consistent implementation of decisions and institutional priorities.

I wish to emphasize that the objective of these measures is not merely to address individual concerns, but to strengthen the overall effectiveness of our management processes and promote a more responsive, coordinated, and results-oriented institution.

I also wish to assure the Honourable Minister and your good self that the management of the Authority remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and institutional discipline. We recognize the importance of harmonious working relationships within the executive management team and will continue to address administrative challenges through constructive engagement and the appropriate institutional channels.

I value the contribution of the Deputy Chief Executive Officer to the Authority and expect that we will continue to work collaboratively, with mutual respect and a shared commitment to achieving our mandate. Differences in schedules, operational demands, or administrative processes should not become impediments to the effective performance of our collective responsibilities.

I therefore propose that a meeting is set at the earliest mutually convenient opportunity to agree on practical arrangements for implementing the measures outlined above.

Please accept the assurances of my commitment to strengthening executive coordination, improving operational efficiency, and advancing the strategic objectives of the Authority.

MAAME EFUA HOUADJETO

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER