“The attention of the National Media Commission has been drawn to
a story on Joy FM suggesting that the Board of Directors of the Ghana
News Agency has asked the General Manager to proceed on leave.
“The Commission wishes to remind the general public that the
authority to appoint, dismiss or otherwise direct a Chief Executive of
any state-owned media, including the Ghana News Agency, to proceed on
leave rests with the Media Commission. Consequently, any directive
purported to have been issued by anybody other than the National Media
Commission has no basis in law.
The Commission wishes to assure Ghanaians that concerns raised by
the staff of GNA against the General Manager are being examined by the
Legal and Free Expression Committee of the Commission. In due course,
all parties may have the opportunity to present their case before the
Committee for effective and effectual resolution of all matters at the
Agency.
“In the meantime, we call on all stakeholders to exercise
restraint and commit themselves to due process and the rule of law.”
The statement dated April 14, 2011 was signed by Mr George
Sarpong, Executive Secretary.
However, in a telephone interview with GNA, the Acting Chairman
of the Board, Mr Kodwo Ahlijah, who signed the letter that asked Nana
Appau Duah to proceed on leave, challenged Mr Sarpong to refer to the
Legislative Instrument (L.I. 680) that established the GNA and find
out whether the Board of Directors of the Agency has the power to ask
the General Manager to proceed on leave or not.
He said the Board consulted Lawyers before it wrote that letter.
“The Board has written to him (Nana Appau Duah). Let him write to the
Board to say that it does not have the power to do that,” Mr Ahlijah
said.
Mr Ahlijah said it would be irresponsibility on the part of the
Board to sit down and allow anything untoward to happen in the Agency,
adding: “Do not mind them. We have the responsibility to ensure that
there is peace in the Agency for it to operate smoothly. We want to
leave a functioning News Agency to the incoming Board.”
Meanwhile, a Spokesman for the workers has advised Nana Appau
Duah to stay away from the Agency since the workers do not take
instructions from the NMC but the Board.
“When we sent our petition to the NMC they told us that they do
not deal with groups or individuals but the Board and asked us to go
to the Board. Now we have gone to the Board and the Board has told us
that Nana Appau Duah should proceed on leave.
“As far as we are concerned Nana Appau Duah is on indefinite leave
with effect from 15 April 2011 and we do not think he would come here
to work,” the Spokesman said.
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