Chase out GRA’s ‘retiree mugabe’ …petition hits Special Prosecutor’s desk

SIX CLEAR months after the Government of Ghana officially suspended the granting of authorisation for Post-Retirement Contract Appointment, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs Division is still at post and drawing salary even after the expiration of his post-retirement contract extension in 2021.

The man-of-God, Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, reached his compulsory retirement age on October 10, 2021 but continues to occupy his office as Commissioner General till date, despite the clear government directive; a situation that has compelled a Ghanaian citizen to petition the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate the apparent anomaly and the financial cost to the state.

“The principle was applied on the immediate past Auditor General, Mr. Domelovo, Col. Damoah RTD., Mr. Kofi Nti and Col. Diawuo RTD. So why is the government reluctant in applying such sanctions to Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai? And why has he [Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah] been allowed to remain at post almost two years after the expiration of his one-year contract which ended in 2021?

“Why do we as a country have to spend so much on paying for his contract and the juicy goodies that come with it, especially, in this current state of the country?”, the petition sighted by this newspaper and signed by Mr. Charles Tuffuor noted.

On August 5, 2022, a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance which was signed by Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei Asare reiterated the suspension of financial clearance for post-retirement contracts.

The statement made reference to paragraph 324 of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy stated that “Government has with immediate effect, suspended the granting of approval for post-retirement contract appointments, except in cases where the skills of the retiring officer are in short supply and unavoidably needed.”

In the said statement, the Finance Ministry reminded Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies of the expenditure measures as outlined in the budget.

“In view of this, we are unable to grant financial clearance for post-retirement contract appointment at this stage”, the release by the Ministry of Finance noted.

Mr. Charles Tuffuor, in his petition to the OSP, dated Wednesday, February 15, 2023, noted:

REQUEST FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION:

I am a citizen of Ghana and I write to you to respectfully investigate why commissioners of the Ghana Revenue Authority are still at post. Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah who has been the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division has illegally stayed at post even after the expiration of his contract extension in 2021. Meanwhile the Finance Ministry headed by Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta introduced a policy that sought to end the working contract extension of government agencies and departments whose expertise at not scarce in the country on behalf of government.

Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Ghana’s chief taxman who was born on October 10, 1961, was appointed as Commissioner in charge of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) on May 30, 2019, and started work on June 4, 2019. He was made the Acting Commissioner-General on September 20, 2019, and reached his retirement age on October 10, 2021.

Mr. Owusu-Amoah has since been in office from the time of his contract expiration defying the legal basis upon which his predecessors were relieved of their posts.

The principle was applied on the immediate past Auditor General, Mr. Domelovo, Col. Damoah RTD., Mr. Kofi Nti and Col. Diawuo RTD. So why is the government reluctant in applying such sanctions to Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai? And why has he been allowed to remain at post almost two years after the expiration of his one-year contract which ended in 2021?

Why do we as a country have to spend so much on paying for his contract and the juicy goodies that come with it, especially, in this current state of the country?

Furthermore, concerning a letter issued by the deputy Finance Minister, Mrs. Abena-Osei Asare on the subject matter on August 5, 2022, affirmed the decision of the government on this subject matter. So why is he still at post? Please find attached, the letter issued by the Deputy Finance Minister.

My intelligence gathered, further tells me that the Finance minister, Mr. Ken Ofori -Atta, and Dr. Anthony Oteng- Gyasi, the Board Chairman Ghana Revenue Authority, are planning a two to three-year contract extension for the current Boss of GRA whiles there are thousands of Ghanaians out there with the requisite expertise to carry out this same task to save the country money and also reduce the unemployment situation.

I strongly sense something fishy is going on between the government and the GRA Boss to the detriment of the entire country.

My background checks also suggest, that Dr. Ammishaddai attained the age of 60 years two years after their contract was renewed until 2021 but chose to stay in the office until today as we speak.

—Signed—
Charles Tuffour
[email protected]
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