By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and some staff of the urban water management body, the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) are protesting the nomination of a Deputy Managing Director, Finance and Administration, Collins Nuntwiri to the company.
The profile of the purported nominee indicates that he lacks the requisite professional qualification to be a Deputy MD. We want the appointing authority to consider that. The group insisted.
The protesting union members and staff of GWCL explained that Mr. Nuntwiri does not have the required qualification for the job and thus should not be considered for the position.
The protesters who were clad in red attire, with a redhead and armbands to march held placards with inscriptions like; “Don’t turn public servants office into political office”, We don’t need unqualified people in GWCL”, “Politicians should stop the interference in the public service”, among others.
Addressing the media, the first Vice Trustee of PUWU, Mr. Samuel Amo-Kakabaah asked the appointing authority to rescind Mr. Nuntwiri’s appointment and consider appointing someone from the company with requisite expertise other than an unqualified Mr. Nuntwiri.
“We are here to register our position on the nomination of a Deputy Managing Director-Finance and Administration for Ghana Water Company Limited. Our position is spelt out in the petition we have written to the Chief of Staff, we have copied the director of SIGA, the board chairman of GWCL, the Managing Director, and the sector Minister. Our position is very clear and simple, we want to state on record that we are not against the appointment of heads of the entity by the presidency, but our concern is that the position of the Managing Director is an appointee of the presidency. Still, the Deputy Managing Director’s position is a position we feel should be filled with people with both the technical and institutional knowledge of our operations”.
“We believe that the technical people will also help the Managing Director who is a political appointee to do his work appropriately”.
