The Local Union Chairman of the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), Samuel Agyeman, has called for stricter oversight of state institutions, urging government to hold chief executives accountable through measurable performance targets.
Speaking on Plan B FM’s Ebaanosen programme hosted by Ohene Kinnah, Mr. Agyeman stressed that political appointments must come with clear deliverables to ensure efficiency and sustainability. He argued that individuals appointed to lead key state agencies, particularly those simultaneously serving in multiple roles, should be assessed based on performance rather than presiding over what he described as avoidable declines.
According to him, the practice of resorting to layoffs as a response to operational challenges reflects poor leadership and weak supervision. He warned that political interference continues to undermine state institutions, with some appointees allegedly prioritising party interests over national development.
Mr. Agyeman emphasised that effective supervision remains critical to preventing the collapse of state-owned enterprises, insisting that leadership must be proactive, transparent, and accountable.
He also levelled serious allegations against the Managing Director of the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), Reindorf Twumasi Ankrah, accusing him of sidelining unions and key stakeholders in major decisions affecting VALCO.
The union leader claimed that Mr. Ankrah, accompanied by military personnel, recently visited VALCO premises with an investor identified as Arc Holdings without prior engagement with the workforce or their representatives. He described the move as alarming and a breach of established stakeholder consultation processes.
Mr. Agyeman further revealed that the union had written several letters requesting meetings to discuss developments concerning the company, but received no response. He maintained that the union’s intention is not to obstruct government initiatives but to ensure inclusion in decision-making processes, particularly where workers’ livelihoods are at stake.
He added that the union has consistently been excluded from critical decisions, including discussions around a reported takeover by an investor. The situation, he noted, has heightened concerns among workers about job security.
In a further claim, Mr. Agyeman alleged that Mr. Ankrah sent him a message dismissing his media engagements as “rubbish,” which he described as an attempt to intimidate union leadership.
He concluded by urging the President to pay closer attention to the performance of his appointees, warning that ineffective leadership at the top could undermine the broader success of the administration.
By: Bernard Mensah |Planbfmonline.com
Discussion about this post