Wereko-Brobby steps aside for Committee of Enquiry to work

..... as VRA Workers Force Him Out.....
THE Chief Executive of the VRA, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, has decided to step aside from the day to day administration of the VRA, during the tenure of the Committee of Inquiry.

"I have taken this decision to ensure that the committee has an absolutely free hand to undertake its work and to remove any doubts, whatsoever, as to the placement of any impediments in the way of the committee or any other witness who may be called to appear before it," he said.

In a letter to the Honourable Minister of Energy, copied to the Chief of Staff, the Castle, and the Secretary to the President today, Dr Wereko-Brobbey said " naturally, I would expect that the committee would offer a fair opportunity to allow me to put my perspective on the issues that have been placed before it. All members of the VRA staff have also been directed to make themselves available to assist the committee as and when it deems it appropriate to see them".

He indicated that during the period of his absence, he has requested the Deputy Chief Executive (Engineering and Operations), Mr Jabesh Amissah-Arthur, to perform the functions of the acting Chief Executive of the authority and to facilitate the work of the committee and the ministry to ensure the speedy conclusion to the process.

"I have absolute confidence in the integrity and competence of the committee that you have established and am confident that it will sort out the wheat from the chaff and all the issues under its consideration", he stated.

The Minister of Energy, Dr Paa Kwesi Ndoum, on Monday inaugurated a committee to investigate allegations made against the Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, by some workers of the company.

The Committee is made up of Mr J. Aggrey-Mensah, former Director-General of the Ghana Telecom, Mr Occy Banful of the National Development Planning Commission, a chartered accountant and Mrs Sheila Minta, a legal practitioner, as member/ secretary.

In an interview, Dr Nduom said the ministry tried to exercise caution in constituting the committee to ensure that those selected will have no links with either the workers or management and that it will operate independently.

He said the areas to be covered include the Strategic Reserve Plant , issues of the management of the lake, procurement of crude oil for the Takoradi Thermal Plant and procurement generally, the salary of the chief executive and other specific allegations made against him by the workers groups.