By
Kodjo Adams, GNA
Accra, July 19, GNA – The Ghana Maritime
Authority Staff Association on Friday denied allegations of financial
misappropriation concerning Mr Kwame Owusu, the former Director-General of the
Authority.
The Association in setting the records
clear, said under the tenure of Mr Owusu, the Authority spent Ghȼ10, 652.05 as
cost of lunch for three stakeholders and management meetings and not the cost
of eight people at a single meeting.
Captain William Asoako Owiredu, a member of
the Association at a press briefing in Accra said the allegation that the
Authority had wasted public funds to renovate a two-bedroom house for Mr Owusu
was false.
He explained that the said bungalow belonged
to the Authority and a completely new bungalow was constructed and walled which
comprised of an executive residence with four bedrooms, a dining area, a
library and a separate guest house for the Authority’s visitors.
Capt. Owiredu said the Authority under Mr
Owusu organized a staff party at the premises of the Authority and not a hotel
belonging to the former Director-General.
He said the party was organized for 500
people comprising 200 staff and their spouses and 100 persons from the
Authority’s stakeholder agencies.
Touching on achievement under Mr Owusu’s
tenure, Captain Owiredu said the Authority’s financial performance improved for
2017 and 2018.
He said in the year 2017, revenue had grown
from Ghȼ68.6 million to cover Ghȼ99.6 million.
He said revenue in 2018 grew by 42 per cent
to Ghȼ141 million and posted a surplus of Ghȼ 68 million.
Capt. Owiredu reiterated that the
Authority’s assets recorded a growth of 85 per cent which showed that the
investments in assets had help boost the company’s regulatory work.
Capt. Owiredu said other successes chalked
included acquisition of vessels for monitoring activities, improved safety on
the Volta lake, employment creation and new legislations.
Mr. Kwame Owusu resigned as MD of the Ghana
Maritime Authority in February 2019.
He resigned a few weeks after he was accused
of financial misappropriation at the company.
He is alleged to have superintended over
questionable expenditure at the authority, including spending a million cedis
to renovate his official residence.
GNA
