The National Investigations Bureau (NIB), the state security institution, formerly called BNI, has raided the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) at the invitation of its embattled Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in an attempt to fish out faces behind a petition authoured by a group calling itself ‘concerned staff’ of the Corporation.
The group, had petitioned the board over some unsavory management conducts of Opoku Ahwenee Danquah, the GNPC CEO nicknamed “Obunda”. Who is a relative of the President, Nana Akufo-Addo.
The move to invite the NIB by the CEO of the national oil company, is believed to be an attempt by the embattled CEO to pre-empt investigations into the allegations made against him by the concerned staff to the Board and to scare off the anonymous staff from coming forward.
The GNPC Board, had hinted of taking a peek into the issues raised in the petition, but failed to hold its last scheduled meeting, as the Chairman, Freddie W. Blay, was out of the country, visiting his wife Gina Blay in Germany, where she is serving as Ghana’s ambassador to that country.
The action by the CEO, saw three staff of the corporation, being hauled to the NIB in the morning of last Thursday, August 18, where they were grilled by officials at the national security outfit.
The three, Eric Osei-Afriyie, Frank Fiakah and Nana Kweku Otchere, according to GNPC sources, corroborated by our NIB contacts, were grilled for several hours. Their labtop computers and phones are believed to have been confisticated by the NIB.
What is not clear to The Herald investigations team is why Nana Kweku, the CEO’s Special Assistant and one of his four ‘darling boys’ is included among the ‘suspects’.
However, suspicions are rife within GNPC that it is possible Danquah is using him as a decoy, to appear to be even-handed in his haunt for the concerned staff.
Other section of the staff believe that Danquah’s zeal to undo his beleaguered predecessor, Dr. Kofi Kodua Sarpong, could have left him suspicious of everybody who was once seen to be too close to the latter, which exposes Nana Kweku as a fair target on his radar.
In the petition, the Acting Chief Executive, was accused of poor human relations, erratic and reckless conduct, causing financial loss and unprofessional conduct.
Opoku Ahwenee Danquah, a relative and prodigy of the Secretary of the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, within months of assuming his new role, is causing a stir at the national oil company in a way many workers, have said if not halted, would make him and the organisation catch fire.
The 10-paragraph petition by Concerned Staff, faulted Danquah as having an erratic behaviour that often sets him in confrontation with experts and management staff, who he should be learning from.
For instance, “During his onboarding week, the Ag. CEO was seen arguing loudly with experts and appeared not to understand the basic principle of governance, finance audit, and public sector processes. We believe he could have managed his emotion in a more professional manner in dealing with those experts”.
He is accused of being reckless, presenting to staff financial statements, in which he cited his predecessor for misappropriation, claims that turned out to be false.
The petition, has been addressed to the Board Chairman of GNPC and copied to Board Members, Minister for Energy, Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy and Mines.
It said “….while he falsely accused his predecessor to have misappropriated the Corporation’s Fund of about 12 million USD, he smartly concealed the 100 million USD funds the Corporation had received from Jubilee Holding Lifting in his financial report”.
Again, Danquah is accused of sidelining General Managers and Deputy Chief Executives, in his daily running of the affairs of GNPC, preferring instead to deal with four officers he has appointed as special aides to interface with them, inviting these darling boys even to sit in Executive Committee (Excom) meetings.
These boys, additionally sit in Entity Tender Committee (ETC) meetings. ExCom is the highest management decision making body, whereas the ETC is the highest decision making body for procurement and supplies.
These behaviours by the Acting CEO, according to staff, run contrary to Professionalism, which is a core value of GNPC.
Furthermore, in clear violation of the guidelines and policy on employee mobility and transfers, the Ag. CEO, is accused of directing the crisscross transfer of thirty (30) employees across the business, without regard for career aspirations and progression.
These mass transfers which have been backdated to take effect from April 1, 2022, the day on which he assumed duty, were carried out, also without prior consultations with even the heads of the affected departments.
Worse still, there is no immediate training plan to properly train some in the new roles assigned, which requires special knowledge and skills.
For instance, an engineer, without any education, training or procurement background has been transferred to head and manage all IT, Works, and Technical Procurement. These the staff believe would affect efficiency and productivity.
The GNPC boss’s erratic behaviour and indecision, are said to have resulted in the cancellation of an important workshop by the corporation after postponing it twice, for which the organisation must pay.
“Additionally, his leadership style is also causing financial loss to the Corporation. The Corporation is to pay Royal Senchi Hotel an amount of about GH 200,000.00 for a workshop the Corporation never attended because of his indecision. He postponed the workshop on two occasions and eventually canceled it and the hotel is rightfully asking GNPC to pay. We believe a consultation with relevant stakeholders on this matter would have averted this financial loss”, the petition said.
One of the affected staff, Dr Patrick Ofori, a confidante of KK Sarpong, jumped boat, rather than reporting to his other colleague, Dr Kwame Baah Nuakoh, with whom he worked under the former CEO, dating back to their days at Kotoko. Dr Ofori, has since been appointed the CEO of the Chamber of bulk oil distributors.
There appears to be an eerie silence along the corridors of the Corporation, the Concerned staff have cautioned, pleading with the Board to investigate and call Opoku Ahwenee Danquah to order.
Some believe KK Sarpong, is the one behind the Concerned staff instigating them against his successor.
KK Sarpong, himself is alleged to be at the neck of GNPC demanding an amount of GHC9 million as his severance package from the institution. The calculation has been described as outrageous, and that he is not entitled to that amount.
