VRA/NEDCo Staff reject President Mahama’s political appointment of Public Affairs Directors
The Senior Staff Association (SSA) of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) are drawing the attention of President John Dramani Mahama to some political appointments made to the companies which they insist would put Ghana’s power sector in serious crisis.
In a press statement dated 19th March, 2025 and signed by Theophilus Tetteh Ahia the National Chairman of the SSA and Fuseini Adjei, the VRA Divisional Union Chairman; the Staff Groups objected to the purported appointments of R.A. Abdul Jalil the Savannah Regional Communications Officer of the NDC as the Director of Public Affairs for VRA and Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, the Upper East Regional NDC Communications Officer as the Public Affairs Director of NEDCo.
Speaking in a follow-up interview with the Media on this matter, George Frimpong Antwi the Techiman Area Chairman of VRA/NEDCo Senior Staff Association said these appointments are not only irregular but also threaten the integrity and established protocols of the VRA/NEDCo operations under the VRA Act 46 as amended and the recruitment processes and policies so adopted and practiced.
He reiterated that, the only political appointments made by every President during change of government are the Chief Executive Officer for VRA and Managing Director for NEDCo but bringing other party executives who have no technical knowledge in electricity management or a Staff who has not risen through the ranks of the company to work as a Director simply because their party has won elections would be setting a very dangerous precedent.
The VRA/NEDCo Staff insist that if these appointments stand, then it means there is no need to go through technical training before working at VRA/NEDCo or the electricity sector therefore all their members at Aboadze in Takoradi, Akosombo, Akuse, Accra, Tema, Anwomaso in Kumasi, Techiman, Sunyani, Bolga, Wa and Tamale will rise to protect the companies from political takeover.
The VRA/NEDCo Staff also called on the general public particularly the various Professional Associations to support their effort to uphold the integrity and professionalism of service because if these appointments are allowed to hold then it means every worker in the public sector should expect that future governments can also bring a political appointee to take over their positions without any merit or wrongdoing.
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