Sack GRA boss now, he is over aged – Group to Akufo-Addo

Concerned Citizens of Ghana, a group of Ghanaians, are demanding the immediate removal of Mrs. Julian Essiam, a revenue generation officer, and Rev. Dr. Ammish-Addai Owusu-Amoah, the commissioner general of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), from their positions. They allege that they are doing so illegally.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the group contended that the GRA boss is over the age of 35 and is unlawfully holding the position because his contract with GRA has long since expired. The group bemoaned the fact that Rev. Owusu-Amoah has continued to hold office in spite of adhering to established protocol and requesting his removal from office from the proper authorities.

“It is disconcerting that almost two years after the expiration of his one-year contract extension in 2021, Rev. Dr. Ammish-Addai continues to occupy his position. This has financial implications for the country, with taxpayers bearing the burden of a prolonged contract and its associated benefits, especially in the current economic climate.

Our suspicion that something fishy is going on between the government and the GRA Boss, possibly to the country’s detriment, is heightened by the government’s continued silence on these issues. To protect the credibility of our institutions and preserve public confidence, we demand accountability and transparency in the way we handle these issues.

Furthermore, our background investigations show that even though their contracts were extended until 2021, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai and Ms. Julian Essiam have both made the decision to remain in their positions past the age of sixty.

This calls into question the GRA’s adherence to set retirement policies, the group stated in a release.

As a result, the group wants him to be removed from his position right away.

Below is the statement 

Urgent Call for the Immediate Removal of GRA Boss Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and Ms. Julian Essiam from Office Due to Their Illegal Tenure By Concern Citizens of Ghana

Good morning Ladies and gentlemen of the press, fellows of the concerned citizens of Ghana group and everyone present here. We thank you for joining us today and we do appreciate your time and attention as we bring to your attention on the reasons for our Urgent Call for the Immediate Removal of GRA Boss Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and Ms. Julian Essiam from Office Due to Their Illegal Tenure.

We, concerned citizens of Ghana, find it imperative to bring to the forefront a matter of utmost importance that has unfortunately been met with silence despite diligent efforts to address it through official channels. Our concern revolves around the continued tenure of Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah as the Commissioner General of the Customs Division within the Ghana Revenue Authority.

It is regrettable to note that, following the selective justice of the Special Prosecutor, who in all his conscious effort  ensured the removal of kennel Damoah RTD. from office as the GRA boss making Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai the beneficiary as his successor, has deliberately refused to apply same principle to ensure that, the commissioner general hangs his pen due to his due pension. We concerned citizens of Ghana, who are much concerned about the high level of unemployment rate in the country, took it upon ourselves to petition the OSP and even sent a reminder letter to his office months after our initial petition was submitted but in all our plight to ensure that the constitution is rightfully upheld, the OSP, speaker of parliament, the minority and majority leadership and GRA board have all turned deaf ears to our plea, confirming our suspicions that they have deliberately decided to turn a deaf ear to our petition and connived with the commissioner general and some top level officials at the GRA who are due for retirement but are still at post for their personal gains.

Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai’s term has purportedly extended beyond the legally stipulated period, raising significant questions about the adherence to established policies, particularly the government’s stance on ending contract extensions for agencies and departments. We draw attention to the precedent set by the government in applying this principle to officials such as the immediate past Auditor General, Mr. Domelovo, Col. Damoah RTD., and Col. Diawuo RTD. Why then is Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai exempt from the same standards?

It is disconcerting that almost two years after the expiration of his one-year contract extension in 2021, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai continues to occupy his position. This has financial implications for the country, with taxpayers bearing the burden of a prolonged contract and its associated benefits, especially in the current economic climate.

Our sources indicate that the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Attah, and the Board Chairman of the GRA are allegedly contemplating a two to three-year contract extension for Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai. We question the rationale behind such a decision, considering there are numerous qualified Ghanaians capable of assuming this role. This move not only raises concerns about fiscal responsibility but also exacerbates the issue of unemployment in the country.

The persistent silence on these matters fuels our suspicion that something untoward may be occurring between the government and the GRA Boss, potentially to the detriment of the entire nation. We call for transparency and accountability in addressing these concerns to safeguard the integrity of our institutions and maintain public trust.

Additionally, our background checks reveal that both Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai and Ms. Julian Essiam , have chosen to stay in office beyond the age of 60, despite their contracts being renewed until 2021. This brings into question the adherence to established retirement policies within the GRA.

Of further note is the alleged involvement of one Mrs. Julian Essiam, a Revenue Generation Officer, as a beneficiary of what appears to be an unfair and illegitimate act by the President. These established facts, underscore the need for a thorough and impartial investigation into the practices within the GRA.

In light of these concerns and the alleged illegal borrowing of $75 million from the GRA’s balance sheet, as cited in the 2022 Annual Public Debt Report, we formally request a comprehensive investigation into these matters. We have exhausted official channels by petitioning the GRA Board, the President of Ghana, the Majority and Minority Leaders, and the Speaker of Parliament, yet our concerns remain unanswered.

We trust that relevant investigative bodies will act promptly and transparently to address these serious allegations and uphold the principles of good governance that our democracy stands for.

In addition we want to bring to your attention that, we intended to embark of a picketing at the headquarters of the GRA and upon our engagement with the greater Accra regional police command, we were told that police can not provide security through this festive season, commencing from Friday, December 1, 2023 to January 2015, since at this period maximum security is required due to the high levels of reported crimes. In view of this we would like to bring to your notice that, we will send official communication to the greater Accra police command informing them about the  next date for our picketing outside the date they themselves provided and it will interest you to know that, our picketing will be the first and massive demonstration in the coming year, should our concerns be thrown to the dogs.

Please find the attached, a copy of our previous petition that has been given a deaf ear.

——Signed——
Charles Tuffour
Convenor
0244472659

Kingsford Nana-Oduro Dickson
Secretary
0533544432

Sabestian Permor Ampomah
Member
0247519251

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com