Accra: The management of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has annulled recent promotions that were found to be in breach of established human resources policy.
According to Ghana News Agency, the decision followed the findings from a committee of inquiry into formal petitions received by Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono concerning irregularities in recent staff promotions. This was in a press statement issued by the Marketing and Corporate Affairs Department and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
The statement noted that 'after months of meticulously assessing the promotions on a case-by-case basis, the findings revealed that a significant number of them were in breach of the Authority's promotion policy, as there were instances where some individuals were promoted multiple times within a single year, while other competent and deserving staff members were sidelined.'
It added that the Director General felt such disparities were contrary to the principles of fairness and had the potential to demoralise hard-working staff.
'This decision was taken with the utmost sensitivity, fairness, and objectivity it deserves, with careful consideration given to both the individual and organisational impact, all in the interest of Ghanaians and in line with the Reset Agenda, which seeks to restore discipline, accountability, and integrity in public sector institutions,' the statement said.
It further elaborated that the cumulative financial impact of these unjustifiable promotions posed a threat to the long-term fiscal health of the GPHA.
'It is imperative to state that this is not a punitive exercise. Rather, it is a corrective step toward strengthening the integrity of the Authority and ensuring that all employees are treated fairly and that career advancement within the Authority is based strictly on merit and performance,' it stressed.
The statement recognized potential concerns among affected parties due to these reforms and assured that appropriate channels have been established by the Director General for staff to seek redress.
The GPHA expressed confidence that this action would help boost the confidence of staff and position the Authority as a performance-driven one.
