The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Volta River Authority (VRA) Senior Staff Association has backed a planned action by VRA/NEDCo staff in Tamale to withdraw all services within the Tamale Metropolis to protect the lives of their colleagues.
They have also called on the Sector Minister, John Jinapor, to intervene to ensure that the recent reassignments are not reversed, and “the threat to the lives of our colleagues in the Tamale Metropolis is dealt with once and for all” as they noted that they “would have no option but to advise ourselves if the reassignment is not respected”.
National Executive Council (NEC) of the VRA Senior Staff Association in a press statement, has taken serious notice of attacks on some Staff of VRA/NEDCo in the Tamale Metropolis on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, following the reassignment of some of the staff.
According to the release, “The staff were beaten to a pulp, and the official vehicles were seized and parked at the Gukpe Naa’s Palace by some youth in Tamale. We are surprised that there has not been a single arrest by the Ghana Police since a formal complaint was made on the day of the incident”.
They, however, asked Ghana Police Service and the other law enforcement agencies to arrest the perpetrators of the assault and that “the three (3) seized NEDCo vehicles parked at the Gukpe Naa’s Palace must be retrieved by the police as part of their investigations. The Directorate reassignments must be respected in line with the structures of VRA/NEDCo”.
Below is the full statement:
PRESS RELEASE August 1, 2025
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ATTACKS ON VRA/NEDCO STAFF IN TAMALE FOLLOWING RECENT DIRECTORATE STAFF REASSIGNMENTS
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the VRA Senior Staff Association has taken serious notice of attacks on some Staff of VRA/NEDCo in the Tamale Metropolis on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
The staff were beaten to a pulp, and the official vehicles were seized and parked at the Gukpe Naa’s Palace by some youth in Tamale. We are surprised that there has not been a single arrest by the Ghana Police since a formal complaint was made on the day of the incident.
Information reaching us indicates that the Tamale youth are acting at the back of Circular No. 015 dated July 11, 2025 issued by the Management of NEDCo reassigning some Directors. One of the Directors, who has been reassigned from the Human Resources Department to the Corporate Strategy Department, is alleged to have complained to several chiefs in the Northern Region and the Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Mahama Abukari Gariba II, in particular, to intervene to reverse his reassignment.
The said Director is alleged to have made the following claims as to why the reassignment should be reversed:
- The reassignment is a demotion.
- He has been transferred out of Tamale.
- He is using his position as the Director, Human Resources Department to employ Dagombas, which the Ag. MD resents.
- He has employed over thirty-seven (37) Dagombas since he became Director, Human Resources. We have also noted the disturbing situation where only the reassigned Director’s official letter reassigning him was openly displayed and discussed on some local media houses in Tamale including Zaa TV and various social media handles such as TikTok.
These claims purported to be coming from the Director, Human Resources are complete lies and obvious untruths. These actions are unfortunate and against our corporate ethics and Codes of Conduct.
We wish to state that NEDCo, as a corporate entity, is guided by the dictates of the Company’s Act 2019, Act 992. As such, the interest of its shareholders remains paramount.
Determination of leadership therefore remains the sole responsibility of the owners, and so decisions are directed at improving corporate performance and not to penalize anyone.
This is not the first time Directors have been reassigned in VRA/NEDCo. For example, the former Director, Corporate Strategy, Ing Bukari Danladi, was reassigned to VRA’s Corporate office in Accra. Also, Mr. David Adomako-Mensah, Director, Services (NEDCo), was reassigned to main VRA as Director, Real Estate and Security Services Department, Mr. Hashim Iddrisu, Director, Finance (NEDCo) was reassigned to Director, Commercial, NEDCo. Suffice to say that staff are reassigned from time to time, including Managers, in line with the strategic objectives of the company. For instance, Ing.
Harry Kwawkume was reassigned to NEDCo from the Technical Services Department, VRA, headquartered in Akosombo. Mr. Paa Kwesi Lokpo is still in NEDCo, having been reassigned as Ag. Director Audit from the Audit Department in VRA, Accra. There are countless examples to mention.
Therefore, it is worrying that the Director, Human Resources’ reassignment in particular is being misinterpreted as tribal exclusion and personal vendetta. This is bad for the corporate image of VRA/NEDCo. Information available to us indicates that some chiefs in Tamale have instructed the Ag. Managing Director of NEDCo to reverse the re-assignments.
This directive, if carried through, would undermine the authority of the Ag. Managing Director and ultimately make NEDCo ungovernable. As a strategic corporate entity, this would defeat all the efforts so far made to improve performance and good corporate governance. We consider the actions of some youth in the Tamale Metropolis in assaulting our colleagues and seizing our vehicles unacceptable.
These were innocent staff members undertaking their legitimate business for NEDCo and the motherland of Ghana. We are appalled at these barbaric actions, and immediately demand the following:
- Ghana Police Service and the other law enforcement agencies must ensure that the perpetrators of the assault are identified and brought to justice.
- The three (3) seized NEDCo vehicles parked at the Gukpe Naa’s Palace must be retrieved by the police as part of their investigations.
- The Directorate reassignments must be respected in line with the structures of VRA/NEDCo.
In the meantime, we fully endorse the resolution by VRA/NEDCo staff in Tamale to withdraw all services within the Tamale Metropolis to protect the lives of our colleagues.
We, the leadership of the Staff Groups, are calling on the Sector Minister, Hon. John Jinapor, to intervene to ensure that these reassignments are not reversed, and the threat to the lives of our colleagues in the Tamale Metropolis is dealt with once and for all.
We would have no option but to advise ourselves if the reassignment is not respected. Issued by: The undersigned. Encl.
