Director of Free Zones Board Fired

The Director of the Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB), Kwadwo Atuahene has been dismissed for an alleged financial malfeasance. The dismissal took effect from Friday May 3, 2001. Mr Atuahene has been accused of engaging in reckless spending since he took office as Director, thus bloating the expenditure accounts of the Board considerably. Until his appointment to the position, Mr Atuahene was a commercial manager at the Ministry of Trade.

However when Trade Minister, Dr Apraku assumed office last year, he was seconded to the GFZB as its Director. Sources at the Trade Ministry told the ?Evening News? that soon after assuming office as Director of GFZB, the ex-Director started renovation works running into millions of cedis at his official residence assigned to him.

Among other allegations are that of over expenditure on renovation works carried out at the Board?s current office located at Cantonments in Accra. He is also alleged to have convened Board meetings without the knowledge of the sector Minister, Dr Apraku who is also the Board Chairman. When contacted for his side of the story, Mr Atuahene denied that there has been a financial scandal at the GFZB.

He explained that he could admit to bloating the expenditure of the Board because neither the Board of Directors nor Sector Ministry gave him a ceiling of how much to spend. Mr Atuahene said the renovation works were necessary to create the right environment needed to enhance productivity.