ICU questions directives to proceed on leave
The General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Mr Solomon Kotei, has expressed concern about directives to some public officials to vacate their positions, proceed on transfer or on leave.
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He said such actions indicated a lack of good governance principles in the transition employment relations by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Kotei noted that while some of the orders were verbal, others were through the grapevine to the people affected, while more others were written on papers with no letterheads.
Mr Kotei also decried the practice of directing management personnel to proceed on leave, which was most often an accumulated leave.
He said the financial commitment to be paid in allowances on such accumulated leave was a drain on institutions.
Recipe
Mr Kotei said such actions did not augur well for the development of quasi-government institutions for economic growth.
That is because it throws out of gear the plans and activities of an institution for a period.
The practice does not also enable individuals to give up their best during their tenure, as with the possibility of a sack in mind upon a change in government, some individuals would only focus on amassing wealth.
“That is a recipe for corruption; it is killing the economy, and does not augur well for succession in institutions,” he said.
Development lost
Mr Kotei recounted all the development plans from the Kwame Nkrumah era that had been shelved because of a change in government.
He was of the view that that was also affecting institutional and enterprise growth in the country.
Using Nestle, a trans-national corporation, as a case in point, he showed how the company with a focus on institution building and human development was progressively gaining grip and instituting a sterling brand because of foresight and right actions beneficial to all.
He, therefore, called for a second look at laws governing transitions for clear guidance to be provided for all government officials.
He also asked for the speedy drafting of a Legislative Instrument, or some form of regulations in line with the Presidential (Transition) Act 2012 to curb some of the excesses.