Ghana’s Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has described as hollow claims advanced by the irritated staff of Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) to push for the removal of their Managing Director, Mr. Osman Aludiba Ayuba, from office.
In the view of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the claims by the staff are not strong enough to trigger the removal of Mr. Ayuba.
The Minister expressed this view during a meeting with the staff group and Board of Directors of NEDCo at the Ministry of Energy on Thursday, February 9, 2023.
Sources within the Energy Ministry told energynewsafrica.com that the Minister was appalled by the action of the NEDCo staff groups during the meeting which lasted for several hours.
According to the sources, the Minister made the staff groups understand that organisational performance is a collective responsibility and if they are asking for the removal of their Managing Director, then, all the Directors, Managers and supervisors must also go.
After stating his views to the staff groups, energynewsafrica.com understands that the Minister asked the aggrieved groups to formally submit their resolution to him for onward submission to President Nana Akufo-Addo to decide on their demand.
Accordingly, the Minister directed them to report to work.
In an update to inform the staff after the meeting, the staff groups wrote: “After a long deliberation, The Honourable Minister requested the Staff Group Leadership to formally submit the resolution calling for the removal of the MD, Mr Osmanu Ayuba to him.
“The Honourable Minister indicated that he needed a formal written paper so that he can put the demand from the Staff Groups before His Excellency the President.
“The current industrial action embarked on by staff would be sustained as Leadership keenly monitors the role of the Energy Minister in helping to resolve the issues (removal of Mr Ayuba as M.D).”
It said staff would continuously be updated on the next line of action if the ultimate demand is not met.
“Leadership encourages staff to remain resolute and report to work as the case currently is.”
Background:
The staff of NEDCo, in a 7 page resolution addressed to the Board Chairman on January 11, 2023, chronicled seven points which they believe warrants the removal of Mr Osman Ayuba.
They mentioned, for instance, the worsening financial performance of NEDco, lack of strategy for NEDco, high cost of projects that have not yielded desired results, worsening distribution losses, exorbitant sole source procurement of point of sale device, lack of basic distribution line and substation maintenance tools.
On Wednesday, the staff partially withdrew their services at all operational areas comprising Upper East, Upper West, Savannah, Brong Ahafo, North East, Ahafo Region,Bono Region, Ahafo Ano South and parts of Oti Region.
The industrial action is due to the failure of the Board of Directors to meet the demand of the staff who are calling for the removal of the Managing Director, Osman Aludiba Ayuba, after several engagements.
Meanwhile, the embattled Managing Director, Mr Osman Aludiba Osman Ayuba, has written to the Board of Directors to respond to the claims of the staff.
In a 14 page letter sighted by energynewsafrica.com, Mr Osman Ayuba took his time to respond to all the claims by the staff.
He described the demand by the workers for his removal as baseless.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
