Another Scandal Rocks GIA

Reliable information reaching The Chronicle indicates that Mr. Albert Vitale, former Vice-President, Operations, of Ghana International Airlines (GIA), has absconded with vital computer system information.

He is also reported to have left an eight-week hotel bill in London for GIA to pay.

The GIA former Board had earlier given Mr. Vitale a notice to leave the Airline for ‘unsatisfactory performance’ but the management sidestepped that directive and was retained after the ‘Mpiani Coup’ Some members of staff of GIA who pleaded anonymity told The Chronicle that they could not locate the whereabouts of Albert Vitale since the latter part of last year.

Frantic efforts to reach Albert’s OneTouch cell phone line proved futile as it was switched off or ‘out of coverage area’.

Latest information indicates that his wife was in the country a few weeks ago to pick the remaining family property in Ghana.

The Minister of Aviation, Ms. Gloria Akuffo, told The Chronicle in a telephone interview that all she knows about Albert Vitale is that he is on assignment abroad to lease an aircraft for the Airline. She said she did not know anything about Albert Vitale absconding.

Chronicle learnt that GIA had reported “missing” Albert Vitale to Ghana’s Interpol for them to trace his whereabouts. Head of Interpol Ghana, Frank Cofie, when contacted denied that GIA had reported Vitale to them.

Albert Vitale under the old GIA Administration was alleged to have fraudulently used the Radix Reservation System to issue tickets to people and caused the Company thousands of dollars in losses. He was alleged to have hacked into the reservation system and fraudulently issued a ticket to one David Gyawu, a former Deputy Minister of Communications. David was taken off the GIA flight and the matter was reported to the Airport Police. It is also alleged that he was under suspicion for fraudulent activities with aircraft leasers. Based on this information, the then CEO, Brian Presbury stopped him from leaving Ghana and a notice of his termination was approved and given to him. He resigned thereafter.

However, a school of thought believes that Mr. Vitale, fearing that he would be exposed by an Audit conducted into the activities of GIA, joined forces with the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani and engineered the forceful removal of the CEO and other top management members from office. GIA-USA had warned GIA about Albert Vitale for consolidating the whole company under him and giving him all the opportunities to cover his tracks. It is learnt that Mr. Albert Vitale is the only person that has access to certain sections of the GIA computer system. A three-member Interim Management Board (IMB) that was formed to run the affairs of GIA following the dismissal of the first Board and headed by Mr. Azu Mate appointed Mr. Albert Vitale as Vice President in charge of Operations.

The top four executives of the IMB comprising the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Brain Presbury, the Vice-President, Operations, Mr. Sammy Crabbe, the Special Assistant to the CEO, Mr. Sean Mendis, and the Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. K. K. Apeadu, were summarily dismissed barely 17 months into the operations of the new national carrier. Insider sources disclosed to The Chronicle that the four officials were sacked by the Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, after what tipsters said was a heated argument between him and the management of the Airline.