Workers of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) are mounting pressure on the Mahama administration to withdraw the appointment of a new Corporate Communications Manager for the company.
Speaking in an interview on State of Our Nation on Dreamz FM on Monday, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of the power distribution company William Kwame Asare said the purported appointment is already causing tension at the company and could be a recipe for anarchy if not withdrawn.
“(Abdallah’s appointment must be reversed) as soon as possible because it is creating a lot of tension amongst us in all our operational areas. If you allow our conditions of service to be violated, it’s a recipe for anarchy.”
Abdallah Johnathan Salifu, the Upper East Regional Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had been reportedly appointed as Corporate Communications Manager of NEDCo.
The reports gained momentum last week when the party in the region released a press statement, congratulating him on the supposed appointment.
Abdallah himself corroborated the reports in an interview on State of Our Nation on Dreamz FM and outlined his plans for the company as a Corporate Communications Manager.
But leadership of VRA/NEDCo’s staff groups denounced the purported appointment as irregular and illegal and proceeded to demand that it be withdrawn.
Explaining the workers’ position, William Asare said NEDCo operates under the Companies Act and as such the Presidency and the sector ministry cannot make appointments to positions below the Managing Director and board of directors of the company.
He argued that any appointment by the Presidency to a position below the board of directors is illegal per a Supreme Court ruling and a flagrant violation of their conditions of service.
Buttressing their position that the purported appointment is irregular, William Asare stated that employment to such a position is done in accordance with their conditions of service and the company recruitment policy, which require that there must be a vacancy and which must be advertised and applicants taken through rigorous screening.
Under the prevailing circumstances, however, there is no such vacancy and thus, the presidency cannot be said to be making an appointment to a vacancy doesn’t exist, he stated.
“There’s a recruitment process clearly defined and outlined in our HR policies.”
“One, there must be a vacancy in the first place. The vacancy must be advertised. In this case, there is even no vacancy. So how do you purport that you have been appointed as a manager of Corporate Communications of NEDCo?”
He demands the protection of their conditions of service, stating that the appointment if not revoked could demoralize workers of the company.
“We have signed on to HR policies governing this institution. And HR policies must be respected. Most importantly, our conditions of service. Our conditions of service clearly outline how recruitments are done.”
He added, “And appointments for managerial positions have never been filled from the office of the president.”
