Heads to roll at Ghanair

In the wake of intense pressure from workers of the struggling Ghana Airways for the dissolution of the management and board of directors over the delayed implementation of a forensic audit report of the company, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Philip Owusu, has assured the workers that those found culpable by the audit report would be interdicted.

Mr. Owusu said the report indicted ten people five of whom work with the company, two in management position. The other five are not members of Ghana Airways staff. Mr. Owusu, however, declined to mention the names of those implicated.

"There are rules in the company against people who have been cited for financial malpractice and I would make sure that the rules are applied fairly and firmly to those who have been mentioned in the forensic audit report", he remarked.

The Chief Executive Officer, who gave the assurance when he met the demonstrating workers at the corporate Guest House last Friday, said the dissolution of the board of directors is the prerogative of the President.

The workers had resolved that all those mentioned in the report be interdicted and replaced by their deputies till they were cleared or substantive persons appointed.

Information gathered by The Chronicle revealed that the offices of the board of directors and management staff would be locked and nailed if they do not vacate their offices by the close of the week.

Touching on the leasing of aircraft which has become a bone of contention between the workers and the management, the Chief Executive explained that there is a committee charged with the responsibility of sourcing for possible aircraft to lease, does due diligence, looks at contracts and pursues them.

Touching on the recent incident over the flight of a leased Air Zimbabwe, he said a document that was to be sent to Germany to get authorization for the aircraft to land had not been sent. Therefore by the time the aircraft landed in Accra at 8pm the German Civil Aviation had already closed and they could not operate the flight. This incident saw irate passengers destroying property of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.

Mr. Owusu said Air Zimbabwe was leased at the cost $4,100 but was reduced to $3,650 because of extension of leased period.

However, the CEO told The Chronicle in an interview that the DC10, which is sitting in Italy while the company continues to lease aircrafts from other airlines such as Sky Services in Canada, Africa One, Air Zimbabwe and Triton, would arrive in Ghana on 13 October.

In a desperate attempt to salvage the airline from total collapse, the chief executive said he had developed a blue print or road map, which would be implemented by a private consultant, Brian Davis, the man who revived the Kenyan Airline in 1991.

Mr. Owusu said he was investigating allegations that some members of staff were working for a new airline by diverting Ghana Airways outstation sales to that airline and assured the workers that he would furnish them with the findings as soon as they are ready.

"I have distributed the conflict of interest clause to the management to disclose their interest outside Ghana Airways and this will soon be extended to all the staff", he added.

Other demands by the workers are: dissolution of the leasing committee, handing over the defunct Air link to Ghana Airways, renegotiation of the AFGO arrangement whereby AFGO takes all the freights income and acquisition of Ghana Airways' own ground handling equipment.

According to the Local Union secretary, Mr. Godfried Odoi, the workers want the CEO and the chairman of the board of directors to be maintained, as they are innocent of all the charges.

Meanwhile the board chairman, Mr. Edward Richard Kwabena Dwemoh said there were a few things he did not know that the workers had brought to the fore. "This is the first time I have been given a job, which is unpleasant," he pointed out.

However, Mr. Dwemoh said drastic measures would be taken this week to ensure that appropriate sanctions are applied.