The leadership of the Staff Groups of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) has voiced strong opposition to the reported appointment of Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, the Upper East Regional Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as the new Corporate Communications Manager of NEDCo.
The staff groups, including the VRA Senior Staff Association (SSA), the NEDCo Divisional Union, and the Public Services Workers Union of TUC Ghana, have expressed their disapproval, stressing that the appointment is not only irregular but could jeopardize the integrity and established protocols of NEDCo, which operates as a corporate entity under the Companies Act.
The leadership has cited several reasons for rejecting the appointment which include violation of established recruitment policies. The staff groups argue that the appointment bypasses NEDCo’s established and time-tested recruitment policies. These policies, which ensure fairness and merit in hiring decisions, have never before allowed for direct presidential appointments to managerial positions. The groups stress that such a move would undermine professional standards and set a dangerous precedent within the organization.
Again, they say his appointment also violates the Senior Staff Conditions of Service, which explicitly outlines the processes for managerial appointments within NEDCo.
NEDCo operates as a subsidiary of VRA, a limited liability company fully owned by the VRA, and is governed by corporate principles. The staff groups assert that Mr. Abdallah’s appointment contravenes the principles of corporate governance and is in direct conflict with NEDCo’s legal structure.
“The current Manager of Corporate Communications is a dedicated employee who has served NEDCo for about 20 years, rising through the ranks to his current position. This purported appointment disregards his experience and contributions, demoralizing the workforce and undermining career progression within NEDCo,” the statement said.
The rejection is also supported by legal context drawn from the Supreme Court case of Theophilus Donkor v. the Attorney General. The case emphasizes the need for adherence to established recruitment procedures for public service positions and differentiates between presidential appointments to governing boards and staff positions within public corporations. “NEDCo, as a corporate entity, is not subject to political influence in staffing decisions”, the staff groups argued.
The staff groups are calling for the Acting Managing Director (MD) of NEDCo to resist any pressure to enforce the appointment and to ensure that all future appointments, including that of the Corporate Communications Manager, follow the standard recruitment process. They also urged the Minister for Energy and Green Transition to intervene and ensure the appointment is withdrawn to maintain industrial harmony within the company.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga
