He who hires, fires – Security expert on dismissal of Airport MD

Security and Fraud Consultant, Richard Kumadoe, has questioned the government under whose authority state appointees are appointed and dismissed.

He posited that the latest directive for the removal of the Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company Limited is among other corporate governance issues that hinder the development of the country and Africa at large.

The consultant believes the president has the power to sanction appointees, but the process was contradictory and problematic.

Speaking to Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9 FM's Epa Hoa Daben political talk show, Mr Kumadoe indicated, "I've seen the letter, but it is very unclear to me when it comes to the appointment and approval or dismissal of the appointment of the Airport MD. Whose responsibility is it to take that decision? Will it be the responsibility of the Board Chairman to sack the MD? Or the responsibility of the Minister to sack the MD.

"Then if it was the Minister's responsibility to sack the MD, why was the MD not given a straightforward letter than to direct it to Board Chairman. So corporate governance issues in Africa, predominantly Ghana with this recent incidence, will be one of the test cases they must run with. Other than that, 'He who hires, fires. Therefore, once you're hired by somebody, you can be fired for whatever reason."

The security expert also identified that the letter failed to include a reason for the Airport MD's dismissal. He believes that such failure to exempt the cause of his dismissal would allow political activists and conspiracy theorists to feed on that and deduce personal reasons for the public.

"Another relevant thing I noted from the letter was that it didn't provide any reason for his dismissal. Leaving such a letter vacant will only allow other conspirators and political activists to feed on politics as usual," he stated.

Richard Kumadoe's comments come at the back of the recent directive from the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) through the Transport Minister, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, to terminate the appointment of the Managing Director of the GACL, Mr Yaw Kwakwa.

Meanwhile, Mr Yaw Kwakwa has expressed surprise at his dismissal and indicated that he was unaware of the latest happenings, as it awaits official correspondent to that effect.

"I don't know what you are talking about. My appointment has not been terminated, so if you have any evidence… I don't know about it, but when I get to that bridge, I will cross it," Mr Kwakwa told the media when he was asked about his dismissal.