General News of Monday, 31 January 2005

Source: GNA

Water Company re-instates dismissed workers

Accra, Jan. 31, GNA - Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has re-instated 10 of its workers, who were summarily dismissed for allegedly causing financial loss to the State following Justice Adade Committee's Report that probed into some purchases they made for the Company.

The Committee found them liable but the Attorney - General exonerated them on the grounds of lack of sufficient evidence for their prosecution.

A letter signed by Mr Samuel G.O. Lamptey, Managing Director of GWCL, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) asked the officials to report for re-assignment and that they would be paid salaries from the date of their dismissal.

The affected workers are: Former Managing Director, Mr Charles Adjei; Chief Manager in charge of materials, Mr Boateng Adjei and General Manager, (Finance and Administration) Mr Robert Tackie. They have all resigned from the Company after their reinstatement. Mr Anson Lawson, Chief Manager, Public Relations, who was also dismissed, has retired after being reinstated.

Those who have reported for re-assignment are: Mr Michael Kofi Quarshie, Mr Henry Forson and Mr George Attah Opoku, all of the Central Stores of the Company.

The rest are: Mr Charles Mensah, Chief Manager; Mr Eben Amartefio, Central Stores Manager; Mrs Mabel Ofori, Ashanti Regional Stores Manager, and Mr Eric Owusu Ansah, Western Regional Stores Manager. The Attorney - General's (AG) Department's exoneration was based on the outcome of investigations the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service conducted into the matter.

In June 2001, the Government set up a committee under the chairmanship of Mr Justice Adade, a Retired Supreme Court Judge, to probe allegations of causing financial loss to the State by some senior officials of GWCL.

They were among other things accused of ordering the printing of stationery that could last for more than 100 years and inflating the cost of khaki fabrics ordered for the workers.