Union, Board, Clash
…………Over retirement schedules for Mate-Kodjo
As the boardroom and management intrigues deepen in the lead state revenue mobilization institution, the Ghana Revenue Authority GRA, documents doing the rounds among top heads indicate an undercurrent of confusion and commotion, politics and cronyism in which the state is likely to be the loser unless the President intervened.
In the ongoing saga, the union and, probably management, are embroiled in a controversy over the role and retirement of current Head of Port Operations, Mate-Kodjo.
Union and management sources indicate that, already, there had been a plot to keep Mate Kodjo, who is due for retirement to pick a Commissioner, Customs slot before going on retirement even though such a move defies Public Service policy and code.
As we do this story, GRA Union and Management are agitated. This is because the atmosphere being created is not conducive to industrial harmony. Additionally, it doesn’t a good story of the GRA being managed under good governance diktats.
As evidence of the confusion, the Board Chairman, aware of the dateline for Mate-Kodjo’s retirement, put plans in place to jump him into that seat, with one of the tactics being a demonstration in his favour by unseen youth, with the support of a Presidential Staffer.
Per employment policy, Mate Kodjo was supposed to have started his terminal leave on June 15, 2020, pending retirement on September 23, 2020. Somehow, the Board Chairman convened a meeting on Jne 15, when he should have started his leave, and asked Mate Kodjo to stay on.
In a memo to that effect signed by Board Secretary Isaac Yaw Boamah-Nyarko, ‘’the decision below was taken for your immediate action…’’
‘’Respectfully, you are to write to Mr. Felix Mate-Kodjo to continue to report to work until his due date of retirement, unless otherwise directed.’’
Interestingly, on that same score, the Ag. Commissioner General wrote to Mate-Kodjo to report to work until his due date of retirement, only for another letter to surface on June 24 signed by Akua Mpiani Brobbe, asking him to continue to stay in office.
‘’This supersedes our earlier letter dated 12th June, 2020 and signed by the Commissioner of Customs.
