Some 44 employees of the Ghana Oil Company (GOIL) have been issued transfer letters to new positions.
This situation has caused huge apprehension, especially as it followed the exit of former Managing Director, Kwame Osei-Prempeh, in the wake of leadership changes and the shift of political power.
The Chronicle is informed that the state-owned oil company has become a hub of maneuvering, with key players vying for favour under the incoming administration, which assumes office in 20 days’ time.
The paper understands that many of the affected workers perceive these moves as punitive rather than strategic.
While the reshuffling has so far been confined to the Marketing department, fears are growing that other departments, including Finance, Corporate, Health and Safety, and Operations may soon face similar upheaval.
POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS
Sources within GOIL have attributed the unrest to the actions of some top management members.
“These individuals are positioning themselves to gain favour with the new administration, even before it takes office,” a source close to the affected workers alleged.
“This entire situation appears politically motivated, with the aim of scoring points with the incoming president and his team,” it is alleged.
The changes have been particularly hard on zonal managers at the regional and district levels.
MORALE
A deep-throat source accused a top management member of orchestrating the reshuffle as part of a broader strategy to reclaim his former position.
“In the past, some of these individuals were replaced due to misconduct and now they see the change in government as an opportunity to stage a comeback,” the source said.
This power struggle has created a climate of distrust and anxiety among employees. “There is so much tension and mistrust in the system. Staff morale is very low. Even the board members appear powerless in the face of these management decisions,” one employee lamented.
INTERVENTION
The affected workers are appealing to the incoming vice president, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, to step in, citing the disproportionate impact of the reshuffle on women in the company.
“Now that we have a woman in such a high office, we hope she will use her influence to protect women working in state-owned enterprises,” one worker said.
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