By Iddi Yire
Accra, Jan 30, GNA – Reverend Dr Ammishaddai Adu Owusu-Amoah, the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has admitted before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament that he attained the retirement age of 60 in 2021.
He also acknowledged that he had since been working as the Commissioner-General without post-retirement contract extension.
He made the admission during Tuesday’s sitting of PAC in Accra when Mr Samuel Nartey George, the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, asked him of his age.
Rev Dr Owusu-Amoah said he turned 62 in October 2023, adding: “Mr Chairman, as far as I know, a letter was sent to the Board for me to continue working until it is sorted out with the Ministry of Finance and the appointing authority.”
In reaction to that, Mr George said the Commissioner-General, Rev Ammishaddai, was brought into office in 2021 and when he turned 60, his contract ended.
“He has worked through 2022 above the age of 60, 2023 above the age of 60 and 2024 he is continuing. In a year he will turn 63 – for three years post his 60th birthday without a contract,” he said.
“So, he has absolutely no legal basis to remain as Commissioner-General of the GRA. Someone else who also turned 60 with him, Colonel Damuah, was asked to proceed on leave.”
“So why is Ammishaddai still being kept at the GRA? And it is in this period, that he’s gone ahead to sign the $100 million contract with SML, the consolidated contract, for five years. That’s just one contract at a time where he, himself has no legal basis, he doesn’t have a contract extension.”
Mr George appealed to the President to ensure that the situation at the GRA was resolved.
GNA