Rot At B/A Ghana Water (2) Workers Go Wild �Lock Out Chief Manager

Workers of the Ghana Water Company Limited in the Brong Ahafo Region have been in red bands since last Tuesday over allegations bordering on corruption, incompetence and dereliction of duty among others levelled against management.

The workers are calling for the intervention of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EoCO) to checkmate the excesses of the executive management, threatening they will go on with the protest for a long stretch unless their request is heeded to.

In an interview with The New Crusading GUIDE, workers alleged gross mismanagement of the company’s fund by management.

According to them they   could not rely solely rely on GWCL investigation because its own preliminary inquiry into the incident showed that their approach lacked objectivity.

In their view, therefore, only investigations by an independent state body can produce the kind of recommendations and shift-change that will engender peaceful and sustainable cohabitation in the company.

According to them the company’s history is replete with several of such moves. “A different approach is needed so that we stop planting evil seeds that will germinate into abominable trees that will destroy this company in the nearest future”.

They mentioned that other grievances against management include non-adherence to best financial practises and financial regulations, lack of transparency in award of contracts and non-provision of working tools and logistics to facilitate the smooth run of the company in the region.

Meanwhile this paper yesterday learnt from the Communications manager of the company that a committee of Chief Managers has been instituted to investigate the allegations being bandied in the media.

However workers have rejected the committee, alleging that members who are close associates of the Chief Manager will not do a good job but skew the results to favour their own.

“We commend the leadership of our company for this timely but ill- informed exercise. The issue of leadership is about integrity, competence, discipline and unbiased leadership skills and not about putting in place a committee whose work is very predictable”

They described the move as   one of the most nauseating recommendations from management, adding “ Ing Muamalah a failed MD candidate who is part of the committee has once chaired a similar committee and the outcome of work done  is known to all of us. He belongs to the same faction as the chief Manager who also once eyed the position of a Chief Manager in Charge of Projects  and therefore  cannot be trusted to do a fair job”


Despite repeated denials by officials and management, it is clear that the company is sharply divided into factions. The communications manager of the company confirmed this in telephone conservation   with our editor, yesterday.

Although he didn’t give identities of leaders of these factions, he admitted that “It is a total disgrace if the company cannot act or investigate these allegations and just allow it to go under the carpet without taking action on it”.

Our checks indicated that even before the committee would start its work, the company’s Finance Manager was as of last Friday handed a letter of interdiction following the recommendations of the Chief Manager forwarded to the head office.

This paper can unequivocally report without fear of contradiction that there has existed a bad blood between the company’s Chief and Finance Managers, Messrs Joseph Nkrumah and Samuel Obeng Ansah who were engaged in an interminable shadow boxing at the expense of the company’s development.

Although the two vowed to expose each other over allegations of financial malfeasance in their line of work, the axe inappropriately fell on Mr Ansah who was indicted by a bigoted and prejudiced audit report.

Currently one of the issues in contention is   the release of some GH¢39,720.00 for forums on Galamsey that were not held; purchases of laboratory materials for water analysis by the chemist who often handles some of these procurements. 

There is also the issue of the double releasing of funds for the same work on Tanoso – Ashanti North transmission line, an issue members of management are trying to avoid on grounds that these were mere allegations that are under investigation.

Our checks also led us to the Brekum water expansion works (details withheld) which was allegedly done at the blindside of the company’s civil engineer and spearheaded by a Quality Assurance Manager. Although the project has been completed it has not been handed over to the company because it is already showing some visible defects.

Workers are also calling for a thorough investigation into circumstances that led to these developments which they suggest amounts to causing financial loss to the State

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