A private citizen, Charles Tuffuor has petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate the continued stay in office of two senior officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority despite the two being way beyond their mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

According to the petitioner, the Director General of GRA, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and the Revenue Generation Officer of GRA, Julian Essiam contrary to law are still in office despite attaining retirement age and the expiration of their respective contract extensions as approved by the president.

“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 Government of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia led the NPP government and introduced a policy that sought to end the working contract extension of government agencies and departments whose expertise are not scarce in the country,” his petition said.

Mr Tuffuor noted that the stay in office of the GRA boss defies the exact basis on which some state officials including Dr Amishaddai’s predecessor was removed from office.

In the case of the Revenue Generation Director, the petitioner said Ms. Essiam’s contract after retirement expired over a year ago but that she still remains at post contrary to the law.

“It would also interest you to note that, Ms. Julian Essiam, who is a Revenue Generation Officer is also a beneficiary of this unfair, and illegitimate act by President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia's led government.

"Ms. Julian Essiam was born on July 5, 1961, which means by law and per the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, she’s due for a Pension but still at post even though her contract has expired,” the petitioner said.



Read the full petition below:

Charles Tuffour
Box SY 2337, Sunyani
Bono Region - Ghana
Wednesday, February 15, 2023.
 
The Special prosecutor
Office of the Special Prosecutor
PMB Accra
Ghana- West Africa

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 Government of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia led the NPP government and introduced a policy that sought to end the working contract extension of government agencies and departments whose expertise at not scarce in the country.
 
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 will hit 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 by the immediate past Auditor General, Mr. Domelovo, Col. Damoah RTD., Col. Kofi Nti RTD Col. Diawuo RTD. So why is the government reluctant in applying such sanctions to Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai? And why has he been allowed to illegitimately 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.
 
Moreover, it would also interest you to note that, Ms. Julian Essiam, who is a Revenue Generation Officer is also a beneficiary of this unfair, and illegitimate act by President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia's led government. Ms. Julian Essiam was born on July 5, 1961, which means by law and per the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, she’s due for a Pension but still at post even though her contract has expired.  
 
My intelligence gathered, further tells me that the Finance minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Attah, and the Board Chairman of the commission is planning a two to a three-year contract extension for the current Boss of GRA while their 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 she together with Dr. Amishaddai, who both 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
0244472659

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GA/SARA