The Government of Ghana has asked the general public to disregard some traditional and social media publications claiming that CEOs of certain state-owned enterprises have been asked to retire.

The earlier reports claimed right CEOs had been given up to March 2019 to vacate their posts.

The CEOs, the report claimed, have passed the mandatory retirement age of 60, hence the directive to go home.

They were named as the CEO of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly called Sir John, 65 years; Eugene Ofosuhene, 67 years – Controller and Accountant General; Kofi Jumah, 68 years – CEO of Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC); Isaac Osei, 67 years – CEO of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR); Kwame Owusu, 67 years – CEO of Ghana Maritime Authority; Anthony Nsiah-Asare, 65 years – Director-General of the Ghana Health Service; Samuel Annor, 64 years – CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority; and K. K. Sarpong, 65 years – CEO of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

However, a statement issued by the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on Monday, 28 January 2019, said: “The government advises the general public and institutional stakeholders to disregard a list of CEOs circulating as having been sacked on account of age. Engagements between the government and CEOs of state-owned enterprises are routine.”

The statement added: “While it remains the prerogative of the President to engage or disengage the services of CEOs of state-owned enterprises, he exercises such powers after the necessary requisite engagements.

“Should the President, at any time, opt to disengage with the services of any CEO, that will be done as always in accordance with established due process.

“The general public is, therefore, advised to disregard media reportage that these persons have been ordered to vacate posts on account of their age.”