Two weeks on: Charles Tuffour reminds OSP on his petition to investigate the Commissioner General of GRA

The Regional Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress, the NDC in the Bono Region has reminded the Mr Kissi Agyebeng on his petition.

In a reminder letter to the Office of the Special Prosecutor sighted by Masemtvgh.com and dated 3rd March, 2023, the petitioner, Mr Charles Tuffour reminded Mr Kissi Agyebeng on his earlier petition to his office dated 16th February, 2023 to investigate the current Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority Rev Dr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah for what he described as an ”illegal” stay of office after his two year contract extension in 2019.

In his letter to remind Mr Kissi Agyebeng, the petitioner urged the Special Prosecutor to expedite actions into investigating his petition to rekindle the trust the Ghanaian public has in his office.

”I humbly write this to remind you of my request and I hope that you will certainly respond to my petition and expedite your investigation process under the law since my request is of great national interest, considering the expenditure the state makes on his ”unlawful” existence as the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority” he stated.

Mr Charles Tuffour after delivering the reminder letter to the Office of the Special Prosecutor on Friday, revealed to a section of the media on the need to remind Mr Kissi Agyebeng on the urgent steps he needs to take in relation to investigating Rev Dr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah as that has gained the interest of the public. ”The public has showed an overwhelming interest in this.petition and cannot be kept in the dark on the steps that the Office of the Special Prosecutor has been taking. The people must be informed on the update of this very important petition of public interest” he stated.

Mr Charles Tuffour expressed optimism of getting an immediate response from the Office of the Special Prosecutor, detailing to him the steps and how far the Office has been acting upon his petition. ”I am confident that your highly respected Office will not relent on my request but will carry out to the bottom of the matter to make the national interest always paramount.

Background to the story

Mr Charles Tuffour on Thursday, February 16, submitted a petition to the Office of the Special Prosecutor urging him to investigate into the retirement age of Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah to determine on why he is still at post having exceeded his compulsory retirement age and his contract extension expired in the year 2021.

Mr Charles Tuffour in his petition, stated a government policy which came into effect in the year 2019 stating it clearly that government will not extent the contract of individuals who attain the compulsory retirement age especially when their expertise are not at scarce to the country. The petitioner sited names of persons who have been ”victims” of this policy and admonished the Office of the Special Prosecutor to make a determination on this case.

Kindly read the full petition below

Charles Tuffour
Box SY 2337, Sunyani
Bono Region – Ghana
Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

The Special prosecutor
Office of the Special Prosecutor
PMB Accra
Ghana- West Africa
REQUEST FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.

I am a citizen of Ghana and I write to you to respectfully investigate why commissioners of the Ghana Revenue Authority are still at post. Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah who has been the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division has illegally stayed at post even after the expiration of his contract extension in 2021. Meanwhile, the Government of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia led the NPP government and introduced a policy that sought to end the working contract extension of government agencies and departments whose expertise at not scarce in the country.

Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Ghana’s chief taxman who was born on October 10, 1961, was appointed as Commissioner in charge of the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) on May 30, 2019, and started work on June 4, 2019. He was made the Acting Commissioner-General on September 20, 2019, and will hit retirement age on October 10, 2021.
Mr. Owusu-Amoah has since been in office from the time of his contract expiration defying the legal basis upon which his predecessors were relieved of their posts.

The principle was applied by the immediate past Auditor General, Mr. Domelovo, Col. Damoah RTD., Col. Kofi Nti RTD Col. Diawuo RTD. So why is the government reluctant in applying such sanctions to Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai? And why has he been allowed to illegitimately remain at post almost two years after the expiration of his one-year contract which ended in 2021?
Why do we as a country have to spend so much on paying for his contract and the juicy goodies that come with it, especially, in this current state of the country?

Furthermore, concerning a letter issued by the deputy finance minister, Mrs. Abena -Osei Asare on the subject matter on August 5, 2022, affirmed the decision of the government on this subject matter. So why is he still at post? Please find attached, the letter issued by the Deputy Finance Minister.

Moreover, it would also interest you to note that, Ms. Julian Essiam, who is a Revenue Generation Officer is also a beneficiary of this unfair, and illegitimate act by President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia’s led government. Ms. Julian Essiam was born on July 5, 1961, which means by law and per the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, she’s due for a Pension but still at post even though her contract has expired.

My intelligence gathered, further tells me that the Finance minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Attah, and the Board Chairman of the commission is planning a two to a three-year contract extension for the current Boss of GRA while their thousands of Ghanaians out there with the requisite expertise to carry out this same task to save the country money and also reduce the unemployment situation.

I strongly sense something fishy is going on between the government and the GRA Boss to the detriment of the entire country.

My background checks also suggest, that she together with Dr. Amishaddai, who both attained the age of 60 years two years after their contract was renewed until 2021 but chose to stay in the office until today as we speak.

—Signed—
Charles Tuffour
0244472659