Disquiet at Bank of Ghana as outsider appears for internally advertised job interview
Consternation and suspicion are brewing among certain circles of staff at the Bank of Ghana, after an executive from outside the bank showed up to interview for a job position which was advertised internally.
The job opening in question is for the head of the central bank’s new communication department, which is currently in the offing.
The Bank of Ghana is implementing an International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommendation to set up a communication department with direct access to the governor and to enhance the Bank’s information and knowledge management.
Asked if the IMF has made such recommendations to the Bank, a spokesperson of the Fund responded in an email: “In response to a request from the authorities and in line with one of our core functions of technical assistance, the IMF is providing ongoing capacity development support to the central bank on a range of issues concerning monetary policy formulation. As you might expect, this also includes the communication of policy decisions. IMF technical assistance and training is open to all of our members and it is aimed at building both institutional and human capacity for effective policymaking and inclusive growth.”
While it is not uncommon for organisations to recruit outsiders when employers believe they have the skills for a new job opening within the organisation, ghanabusinessnews.com understands, the decision by the management of the Bank of Ghana to invite an outsider to interview for the internally advertised job, is not exciting to some seniour and juniour staff.
During the interview process in May this year, to appoint a head for the new communication department, following the internal advertisement, an outsider appeared, and ghanabusinessnews.com investigations have established that the outsider was the General Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Bernard Otabil.
In a telephone interview with Mr. Otabil, he simply said he could not comment on the subject.
A Board Member of the GNA however, when spoken to on the subject, expressed surprise and wondered why someone heading an organization like the GNA would like to leave to join the central bank.
Asked why the Bank brought in an outsider when the advertisement was done internally, Mr. Stephen Amegashie, head of the Governor’s Department, told ghanabusinessnews.com on the phone that the Management of the Bank reserves the right to choose whoever it deems could do the job.
It is believed that the new communication department would enhance the Bank’s communication and relations with the media and public.
The Bank’s communication has been handled by the Public Affairs unit which is under what is called the Governor’s Department, while the Public Affairs Unit has professional public relations practitioners the head of the Governor’s Department is an economist, and all media enquiries have to go through this official.
Some 20 years ago, before a Public Relations unit was set up at the central bank, all media enquiries went through the Board Secretary’s office.
Commenting, Patience Clarke-Ejuren, the Recruitment Manager of Axis Human Capital, a human resource organization, said: “Depending on what an organisation is looking for, it may hire an insider or bring in an outsider. The advantage is that the insider knows the company well, but on the other hand, the outsider, may bring in fresh perspectives if the organization is seeking to chart new paths.”
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
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