Political Scientist Prof. Ransford Gyampo has expressed concerns about what he describes as unfair and illegitimate contract extensions for key officers at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), including the Commissioner General of GRA, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah.

The GRA Boss has been at post even though his post-retirement contract ended in 2021.

But Gyampo has written to President Akufo-Addo claiming “the happenings at the revenue mobilisation outfit are creating tension and do not augur well for its proper functioning.”

According to Prof. Gyampo, “Government initiated a great policy to suspend the granting of post-retirement contract to people working in some state agencies where labor and expertise aren’t scarce, as part of expenditure rationalization measures.

“In accordance with this many requests for post-retirement contracts have been turned down,” he added.

He intimated that true to the policy “Kofi Nti, a former GRA Commissioner General who was appointed on a 4-year contract was made to leave office halfway his contract after serving only two and half years because he reached the retirement age of 60 before the expiration of his contract. He was not given a contract extension. Amishaddai Amoah took over from Kofi Nti and together with Col. Damoah and Juliana Essiam who worked in the same area of revenue generation; they all attained 60 years 2 years ago.

“Col. Damoah was made to leave office because, among other controversial legal tussles, he had also attained the retirement age of 60 years. But Amishaddai was given a one-year contract extension upon attaining 60 years.

“Even though the illegitimate contract extension of Amishaddai expired in 2021, he was made to remain at post without any official contract or official cover for another one (1) whole year ending last year 2022. I am reliably informed that, the board chairman of the GRA with support from Ken Ofori Attah is unilaterally and without recourse to his board members, seeking two more years of post-retirement contract extension for next Amishaddai. This has created deep seated tension and anger among board members of the GRA in a manner that would not auger well for revenue generation and collection,’” he revealed.

However, Prof. Gyampo has opined that in the spirit of “respect for rules, fairness, equity, and the need to give opportunities to others, the President ought to act,” explaining that in this current economic challenges, the GRA must not suffer such challenges.

“Mr President, what you seek in these current times of economic crisis, is better supervision of revenue generation and collection activities. You need not violate your own policy and unnecessarily discriminate against others by denying post retirement contract to others and approving same for Amishaddai,” he pointed out.

Below is Prof. Gyampo’s letter to Akufo-Addo

A Letter to the President on Some Inconsistencies and Illegitimate Attempts at Contract Extension at the GRA

Your Excellency,

  1. Your Government initiated a great policy to suspend the granting of post retirement contract to people working in some state agencies where labor and expertise aren’t scarce, as part of expenditure rationalization measures. In accordance with this many requests for post retirement contracts have been turned down.
  2. Kofi Nti, a former GRA Commissioner General who was appointed on a 4 year contract was made to leave office halfway his contract after serving only two and half years because he reached the retirement age of 60 before the expiration of his contract. He was not given a contract extension.
  3. Amishaddai Amoah took over from Kofi Nti and together with Col. Damoah and Juliana Essiam who worked in the same area of revenue generation, they all attained 60 years 2 years ago.
  4. Col. Damoah was made to leave office because, among other controversial legal tussles, he had also attained the retirement age of 60 years. But Amishaddai was given a one year contract extension upon attaining 60 years.
  5. Even though the illegitimate contract extension of Amishaddai expired in 2021, he was made to remain at post without any official contract or official cover for another one (1) whole year ending last year 2022. I am reliably informed that, the board chairman of the GRA with support from Ken Ofori Attah is unilaterally and without recourse to his board members, seeking two more years of post-retirement contract extension for next Amishaddai. This has created deep seated tension and anger among board members of the GRA in a manner that would not auger well for revenue generation and collection.
  6. Mr President, what you seek in this current times of economic crisis, is better supervision of revenue generation and collection activities. You need not violate your own policy and unnecessarily discriminate against others by denying post retirement contract to others and approving same for Amishaddai. More importantly, you must try and give opportunities to others to see how they embrace the challenge of revenue generation and collection to help your government navigate the whole country out of the current economic doldrums.
  7. I write as a Citizen concerned about respect for rules, fairness, equity, and the need for us to give opportunities to others who can probably perform better in helping us raise the needed resources internally for development.

I thank you and look forward yo your action on this.

Yaw Gyampo
A31, Prabiw
PAV Ansah Street