Ogbame, Owula Land Top Posts

Information filtering into the office of The Al-Hajj indicates that as part of President John Dramani Mahama’s “all-inclusive government” policy, the Managing Editor of Gye Nyame Concord, Alfred Ogbame and one of Ghana’s best Socio-political Analysts, Owula Mangotey, have landed lucrative jobs under his administration.

Mr Ogbamey, who was one of the pioneer journalists of Kofi Koomson’s Chronicle newspaper, according to reliable government sources has been appointed Communications Manager of Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC).

Mr Mangotey, an Oil Expert and a traditionalist from the Osudoku Tradition Area in the Greater Accra region, has also been handed the post of Senior Manager, External Relations in charge Government and Community Relations of the same company. The duo secured the top jobs after successfully going through rigorous and grueling interviews last December and early March this year.

Mr. Ogbame and Owula Mangotey, according to government sources were appointed base on their knowledge and expertise in their respective fields and are expected to project the corporate image of the company, which is in charge of the almost completed $850 million Gas Processing Plant at Atuabo in the Western region.

Mr Ogbamey, who is also one of the few Ghanaians engaged in commercial breeding of German Shepherd Dogs alongside a private Car rental company, is said to have been initially penciled to replace dismissed deputy Minister of Communications, Madam Victoria Hammah.

A source told The Al-Hajj that the renowned journalist, who is thought to be one of the few ‘neutral journalists’ but until recently, largely regarded pro-NPP, was also being considered for appointment in the Foreign Service.

This paper has learnt that upon further consideration and going through with the interview, Mr Ogbame opted for GNGC as Communications Manager.

President John Maham has since ascending the thrown after the demise of the late President John Atta Mills in July 2012, resolve to do away with the winner-takes-all syndrome in our body politics; and that he will tap the knowledge and expertise of any Ghanaian into his government irrespective of his/her political, ideological or religious persuasion.

This decision, which many have applauded the president for, a political watcher says informed the President’s recent appointment of some persons known to be virulent critics of the NDC to serve in various capacities in his government.

He says it is also an indication that President Mahama wants to foster unity and national cohesion.

Mr Ogbame, who was a member of the Labone-based defunct “coffee shop mafia” spearheaded by Kwaku Baako, Kwame Sefa Kayi, Randy Abbey and Egbert Fabile Jr, which was purposefully set up in opposition to the NDC; is one of the finest investigative journalist the country has ever produced.

Mr Ogbame, a Kofi Koomson trained journalist became famous when he was compelled by his conscience to apologize to the late President Mills about a story his paper, The Gye Nyame Concord, published in the Wednesday, September 24, 2008 edition, which among other things alleged that the NDC flew in some medical specialist from a reputable German health facility to manage the late president’s health until the 2008 election, a story which turned out to be false.

On his part, Mr Mangotey, was a pioneer worker at the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and onetime political strategist and advisor to late vice President Aliu Mahama of the NPP. He has also been an adviser to the Mills administration.

For more than a decade, Owula Mangotey has been a socio-political commentator on radio and television and has written extensively on oil and gas. He is now to serve as Senior Manager, External Relations, in charge of Government and Community Relations at GNGC.