Edward Collins Boateng has been relieved of his position as Executive Secretary (ES) of the Ghana Export Promotions Council (GEPC). In his place, one Lawyer Kodwo Owusu Agyemang has assumed office as the new Executive Secretary for Ghana’s Export Regulatory body.

This new appointment is in spite of the fact that GEPC remains one of the numerous government agencies without governing councils and boards.

The Financial Intelligence sighted a letter emanating from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, ordering Mr. Boateng to prepare and hand-over his office to his successor on Friday, November 6, 2009. However, Mr. Boateng who seems to have been long prepared for such an instruction was said to have come to the office that Friday with his handing-over notes, but no successor showed up to take over from him.

Nevertheless, a week later, Friday, November 13, Dr. Owusu Agyemang was introduced to the staff at Republic House as the new ES at a mini party organized to see off Mr. Boateng who took over from Tawiah Akyiah in 2001.

Dr. Owusu Agyemang told the workers he is an independent minded fellow who observes things for himself before taking action.

“I have heard so many things about this place, but none of those things would influence whatever decisions I make, since I am here to see things for myself,” the new ES assured the workers.

On the status of the regulator, the US trained lawyer said the decree establishing the council was crafted in a way as to make the regulator an ‘Authority’ but the word ‘council’ has been used to describe it over the years. He said, though that status would be maintained for now, he would consider pursuing an amendment to the decree to make it an autonomous ‘Authority’.

Mr. Boateng on his part thanked the workers for their cooperation with him during his tenure as the ES, urging them to offer the same level of cooperation to his successor. He later introduced Dr. Agyemang to members of some of the boards, including the Export Development Fund (EDIF) board on which the ES also serves.

At the time the FI was leaving the premises of GEPC at the Republic House, Dr. Owusu Agyemang was said to be locked up in a meeting with some of the management members of the council.

Meanwhile the FI has picked up signals from the trade ministry that preparations were far advanced to announce the GEPC board, which Commander P.M.G Griffiths a former Deputy Minister for Communications is likely to chair. Without a governing council the GEPC has not seen much action for the best part of this year, although monies had been released month after month for workers’ salaries.