General News of Monday, 23 June 2003

Source: Evening News

Tarzan Removed From Office?

Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, the embattled Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA) is said to have been removed from office. His removal followed recommendations by the Ministerial committee which probed allegations levelled against him by the workers of the country’s most prestigious organization.

Though officials of both the VRA and Ministry of Energy are tight-lipped on the matter, ''The Evening News'' says it can authoritatively state that the abrasive Chief Executive has been removed.

Investigations by the ''The Evening News'' has revealed that two separate reports were made by the committee.

One bordered on the collective bargaining negotiations whilst the other bordered on the Chief Executive’s involvement in the technical and financial matters of the authority.

The Evening News says its investigations has also revealed that it was the report on the collective bargaining negotiations that was put in the public domain by a national daily a week ago. On the technical and financial matters, a highly placed source told the paper that adverse findings were made against Dr Wereko-Brobby.

According to the source, the committee’s findings on Dr Wereko-Brobby’s involvement in the Technical and Financial Strategic Reserve Fund were too serious to allow for his total exoneration. ''Those matters are very serious and are still being reviewed. The President has not made any decision on it yet, but sooner than later, we will hear something. I highly doubt that the Chief Executive will go back to his post'', the source said.

The source could not tell whether Dr Wereko-Brobby’s involvement in the financial matters could amount to causing financial loss to the state. On why Dr Wereko-Brobby did not assume duty automatically after he was reported to have been exonerated, since he stepped aside voluntarily, the source said it was because of the recommendations of the committee on the technical and financial matters.

Meanwhile, Dr Wereko-Brobby in an interview with JOY FM on Monday morning stated categorically that he could not be removed by the workers.

''The only body that can remove me is the government. Those who are not prepared to work with me must therefore quit'', he stressed.