Madam France A. Essiam speaking with the media
THE CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited (GCMCL), Frances Awurabena Essiam, has dismissed claim by the Board of the company that she has been relieved of her post.
According to her, she is ‘still the substantive chief executive officer’ of the company and that no individual can boot her out of office except the appointing authority.
Speaking to the media at the company’s premises on yesterday after receiving a hilarious welcome to the company by the workers, Madam Essiam indicated, “I am still the substantive CEO; I am at work that is all I can say for now….
“Let me ask the workers to remain calm; we have all heard what is going on and I don’t want to take it to the media. As the substantive chief executive of the company, I must say that the executive chairman of the State Enterprises Commission, Asamoah Boateng, our Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko and other leaders are investigating the matter for peace to prevail. I want to plead with my workers that on behalf of management they should return to work.”
She said that she came to work as a public servant, believing that the matter would solve itself.
It would be recalled that at an emergency meeting on Tuesday, the board decided to suspend Madam Essiam following a misunderstanding.
Prior to her supposed suspension, the GCMC was reported to have suspended business following an alleged order by the CEO that the company should be temporarily shut down.
Workers were also asked to stay home until further notice, with an inscription on the main entrance of the company that read, ‘No Gas.’
On the same day, the workers were said to have prevented the board of directors from entering the company to hold an emergency meeting believed to determine the fate of the CEO over alleged procurement deals, mismanagement, awarding of several contracts without consulting the board or the energy ministry, among others.
But they changed the venue of the meeting to a nearby hotel where they decided to suspend Ms Essiam as the chief executive of the company until final determination of the allegations.
The board subsequently appointed the Technical Director of the company, Ezekiel Mensah, to act as the interim CEO.
On Accra-based Starr Fm, Madam Frances Essiam denied the claim of awarding several contracts without recourse to the company’s board.
Her denial comes at the back of a warning letter from the company’s board asking her to desist from disbursing a GH¢5 million stimulus package sought by the government for the company.
Madam Essiam described allegations against her as “a barrage of lies” and “borne out of hatred and malice” which seek to destroy her reputation, threatening to sue the board chairman.
“For all the things that he (board chairman) said, I will take the appropriate means administratively, legally to seek redress and repair my image. The law will take its course…and trust me the law will take its course because I am talking as a woman whose reputation is being wounded,” according to the CEO.
Probe
Subsequent to the impasse at GCMC, the governmentk through the State Enterprises Commission, has formed a 3-member committee to look into the governance and other issues at the company.
The committee is made up of Felix Ntrakwah, a lawyerl Victor Ampofo Agyapong, chartered accountant (FCIB) and a representative from the energy ministry.
By Vincent Kubi