Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo has written to President Nana Akufo-Addo to complain about what he describes as illegitimate contract extensions for key officers at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), including the Commissioner General of GRA, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah.
Professor Gyampo in the letter to the President claimed that the illegal contract extension was creating tension at GRA and does not augur well for its proper functioning.
Professor Gyampo added that the contract extension was contrary to a great policy to suspend the granting of post-retirement contracts to people working in some state agencies where expertise isn’t scarce, as part of expenditure rationalization measures.
Prof. Gyampo stated that the policy had been used against Mr Kofi Nti, a former GRA Commissioner General who was appointed on a 4-year contract but was made to leave office halfway through his contract because he had reached the retirement age of 60 before the expiration of his contract.
Even though the illegitimate contract extension of Amishaddai expired in 2021, he was made to remain at post without any official contract or official cover for another one (1) whole year ending the last year 2022.
“I am reliably informed that the board chairman of the GRA with support from Ken Ofori Attah is unilaterally and without recourse to his board members, seeking two more years of a post-retirement contract extension for the next Amishaddai. This has created deep-seated tension and anger among board members of the GRA in a manner that would not auger well for revenue generation and collection,” he revealed.
Below is the full letter to the President
A Letter to the President on Some Inconsistencies and Illegitimate Attempts at Contract Extension at the GRA
Your Excellency,
1. Your Government initiated a great policy to suspend the granting of post-retirement contracts to people working in some state agencies where labor and expertise aren’t scarce, as part of expenditure rationalization measures. In accordance with this many requests for post-retirement contracts have been turned down.
2.Kofi Nti, a former GRA Commissioner General who was appointed on a 4-year contract was made to leave office halfway through his contract after serving only two and half years because he reached the retirement age of 60 before the expiration of his contract. He was not given a contract extension.
3. Amishaddai Amoah took over from Kofi Nti and together with Col. Damoah and Juliana Essiam who worked in the same area of revenue generation, they all attained 60 years 2 years ago.
4. Col. Damoah was made to leave office because, among other controversial legal tussles, he had also attained the retirement age of 60 years. But Amishaddai was given a one-year contract extension upon attaining 60 years.
5. Even though the illegitimate contract extension of Amishaddai expired in 2021, he was made to remain at post without any official contract or official cover for another one (1) whole year ending last year 2022. I am reliably informed that, the board chairman of the GRA with support from Ken Ofori Attah is unilaterally and without recourse to his board members, seeking two more years of a post-retirement contract extension for the next Amishaddai. This has created deep-seated tension and anger among board members of the GRA in a manner that would not auger well for revenue generation and collection.
6.Mr President, what you seek in this current times of economic crisis, is better supervision of revenue generation and collection activities. You need not violate your own policy and unnecessarily discriminate against others by denying post-retirement contract to others and approving same for Amishaddai. More importantly, you must try and give opportunities to others to see how they embrace the challenge of revenue generation and collection to help your government navigate the whole country out of the current economic doldrums.
7. I write as a Citizen concerned about respect for rules, fairness, equity, and the need for us to give opportunities to others who can probably perform better in helping us raise the needed resources internally for development.
I thank you and look forward yo your action on this.
Yaw Gyampo
A31, Prabiw
PAV Ansah Street
Saltpond
