Organized Labor Kicks Against ‘Jobs-For The Boys’ Recruitment At GRA

What has been described as a bastardization of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) with New Patriotic Party (NPP) adherents has drawn an objection from Organized Labour which is demanding details about the wholesale jobs-for the boys recruitment happening at the GRA.

In a statement, GRA Labour group said the recruitments appear suspicious and unethical especially, given that rookies with no experience whatsoever, are being put on salaries higher than staff already at the GRA who have toiled over the years in the employ of the Revenue collector.

“Organised Labour’s attention has been drawn to ongoing recruitment of young graduates into the Ghana Revenue Authority’s position of Chief Revenue Officers and Assistant Commissioners. While recognizing Management’s right to employ, we also wish to remind same of the qualification requirements and years of experience required for one to merit such ranks in the Authority,” the statement said.

It was signed by Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority Workers’ Union (GRAWU) and the Public Services Workers’ Union (PSWU), George Amadu Awinbilla.

“Sadly enough, most of these newly recruited officers are or were juniors and colleagues to officers currently on the SRO grades. Lack of vacancies clauses have over the years been used by management to deprive qualified and hardworking officers into the positions of CROs and ACs yet less experienced or qualified ‘external persons’ could be employed to occupy such enviable positions,” the statement added.

WhatsUp News is learning that the recruits are mostly party apparatchiks who are being paid between Ghc4000 and Ghc6000 for the positions which catapult them to enviable heights in the GRA’s organogram, ahead of staff who have broken their backs for the GRA.

Organized labour made it clear, that if GRA does not come clean on the processes that went into the recruitments, the new recruits will be blackballed. What this means is that they will not have the support of Organized Labour when they run into troubles, including sacks after a new administration takes over the reins of government.

“Until such transparency is accorded Organised Labour, we cannot guarantee the co-operation and support of staff to these new management appointees as these discretional procedures have the potential to derail, succession planning, demoralize staff and most importantly, ‘open the gates’ for successive managements to continue using this occurrence as an example,” the workers’ union warned.