Ghana: VRA, NEDCo Staff Groups Oppose Purported Appointment Of R. A. Abdul Jalil As VRA’s Public Affairs Director

The Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) staff groups are protesting the alleged appointment of the Savannah Regional Communications Officer of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr R. A. Abdul Jalil, as Director of Public Affairs for VRA.

Some media platforms reported on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, that Mr. Abdul Jalil had been appointed as Director of Public Affairs for VRA, drawing the attention of the staff of the power generation company to news that was previously unknown to them.

The workers group accused the appointing authority of violating time tested criteria for recruitment of staff to the position of Director of Public Affairs for the company.

In a press release signed by Theophilus Tetteh Ahia, National Chairman of Senior Staff Association of VRA, and Fuseini Adjei, Divisional Union Chairman of VRA, the group argued that directorate positions are filled based on established procedures, fairness, competency and meritocracy.

They contended that the purported appointment of Mr Abdul Jalil violates established recruitment policies, senior staff conditions of service, Collective Agreement of Public Services Workers Union of TUC and also undermines experienced professionals.

“This purported appointment is not only a major source of demotivation to the workforce, an affront to hard work that negatively affects productivity, but also it undermines career
progression, as well as succession planning within the VRA,” the workers group stressed.

They called on the newly appointed acting Chief Executive Officer to, as a matter of urgency, resist any pressure to enforce this purported appointment.

Besides, they called on the Honourable Minister of Energy and Green Transition to urgently ensure that this purported appointment is withdrawn immediately in order not to further endanger the fragile current industrial harmony in the VRA.

They, however, pointed out that if Mr. Abdul Jalil is qualified to be employed at the VRA, then he must be made to submit to the standard recruitment processes of the company and compete fairly with other qualified candidates as and when there is a vacancy.

Source:https://energynewsafrica.com