Westel MD rubbishes petition

...boasts of increasing value from $10m to $100m

The acting Managing Director of Westel, Ghana’s second national telephony operator has in a response to a petition fired by some workers alleging mismanagement and inappropriate financial decisions told the Chief of Staff that her prudent management of the company has seen its shareholder value increase “ten fold in the two odd years since I have been at post, and shares purchased for ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in 2005 are currently worth over one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000).”

Ms. Ursula Owusu admitted in her response to the unsigned 37-point petition that she did take a loan from the company’s funds but explained that it was an emergency short term facility which has been paid back. According to her, it is a facility that is available to all staff, and which she did not institute.

Describing all the allegations in the petition as false, the acting MD said the claims about improper use of credit cards while outside the country and undertaking travels meant for subordinate officers can at best be somebody’s imagination.

“All foreign trips I have embarked on since I joined the company have been either for telecoms related courses appropriate for my level or upon the personal invitation of the organizers. Several employees have been sponsored to attend conferences/workshops/training programs etc. since September 2005. I would really like to know which of these trips were below my status or were uncalled for” she said in her response, a copy of which is available to the dailyEXPRESS.

She said in her response to the Chief of Staff that she’s “surprised that an anonymous petition is being accorded this level of attention” and would ordinarily have ignored it but for the respect he has for the office of the President, to which the unsigned petition was addressed.

The WESTEL boss who is also a regular on TV defending the actions of the ruling government was posted to take over the company in 2005 after the GNPC acquired the shares of its former partners.

In her response to the various acts of mismanagement leveled against her including vehicle purchases, termination of appointment and spending of very little time working for WESTEL as against other interests, Ms. Owusu among others stated that “I am simply amazed at the allegation that I arrive in the office after 10.00 am and depart before 3.00pm and work for only 3 days a week! It is not true. In any event, it is not only when I am physically present at my desk that I can conduct Westel business. Even when I am at home recovering from illness and surgery, work is sent to me to deal with from my sick bed. Urgent work was even brought to me while on admission in hospital.”

She also noted that “outstanding issues between the company and the NCA have been resolved and this resulted in the granting of the mobile license and the requisite spectrum to the company in October 2006, a feat which has contributed in no small measure to enhance the value of the company. The company even managed to post a modest profit in 2006 as against a string of losses chalked up before my tenure.”

According to Ms. Owusu who is also the President of FIDA, the Whistle Blowers Act is not meant to provide a screen behind which ‘employees’ hide to make malicious, unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct against management, under the cloak of anonymity, “but to protect those who produce EVIDENCE of such misconduct, even when their identity is revealed.”

She challenged the petitioners to come forward, noting that she “would welcome the opportunity to confront my accusers, as I have nothing to hide… every single allegation is baseless, without merit and is obviously actuated by malice, as my response clearly reveals.”