Maritime staff denies financial misappropriation against former MD
The Ghana Maritime Authority Staff Association, has denied allegations of financial misappropriation concerning Mr. Kwame Owusu, the former Managing Director of the Authority.
The association says it is records clear. It said under the tenure of Mr. Owusu, the Authority spent Gh¢10, 652.05 as cost of lunch for three stakeholders and management meetings and not the cost of eight people at a single meeting.
Captain William Asoako Owiredu, a member of the Association at a press briefing in Accra, said the allegation that the Authority had wasted public funds to renovate a two-bedroom house for Mr. Owusu is false.
He explained that the said bungalow belonged to the Authority and a completely new bungalow was constructed and walled which comprised of an executive residence with four bedrooms, a dining area, a library and a separate guest house for the Authority’s visitors.
Capt. Owiredu said the Authority under Mr. Owusu organized a staff party at the premises of the Authority and not a hotel belonging to the former MD.
He said the party was organized for 500 people comprising 200 staff and their spouses and 100 persons from the Authority’s stakeholder agencies.
He added that the Authority’s financial performance improved for 2017 and 2018, under the
tenure of Mr. Owusu. He said in the year 2017, revenue had grown from Gh¢68.6 million to cover Gh¢99.6 million.
He said revenue in 2018 grew by 42 per cent to Gh¢141 million and recorded a surplus of Gh¢ 68 million.
Capt. Owiredu reiterated that, the Authority’s assets recorded a growth of 85 per cent, which showed that the investments in assets, had help boost the company’s regulatory work.
Capt. Owiredu said other successes chalked included acquisition of vessels for monitoring activities, improved safety on the Volta lake, employment creation and new legislations.
Mr. Kwame Owusu resigned as MD of the Ghana Maritime Authority in February 2019.
He resigned a few weeks after he was accused of financial misappropriation at the company.
He is alleged to have superintended over questionable expenditure at the Authority, including spending a million Ghana cedis to renovate his official residence.
Source: GNA