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Former General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, has described as appalling the amount of money paid former CEO of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Tsatsu Tsikata as ex-gratia.

Mr. Tsikata received GHc1 million from the GNPC along with three others who were given varied colossal sums as end of service benefit for serving the corporation in different capacities.

The GNPC had explained that Mr. Tsikata, Esther Cobbah, Asafu-Adjaye and Benjamin Dagadu, served the corporation for periods ranging between 12 and 21 years, adding that they were all removed from office in 2001 under circumstances that did not allow for the payment of their respective accumulated separation entitlements. 

Meanwhile, the Minority Spokesperson on Energy and Mines, K.T. Hammond, who has described the payments as “criminal” is advocating for the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to probe the matter.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also a former employee of the GNPC supported calls for the payments to be investigated.


Sir John, as he is popularly called, lamented that, although he also served the corporation, on no occasion has he been invited for ex-gratia.

 “The payment to Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, Esther Cobbah, Asafu-Adjaye and Benjamin Dagadu is mind-boggling. Indeed I never received a farthing since I left GNPC in 2004 and so it surprises me that in Tsatsu Tsikata’s case, he has not made a case for any money to be paid to him; why in the name of God will this current board and its chairman propose that payment to these people? It’s really bad and appalling and I think that the call by K.T. Hammond is in the right direction,” he added.

He said an investigation will unravel the truth in the matter because “these gentlemen and the lady I’m told have not on their own asked for any money to be paid to them because they know that they are not due any such money. Why in the name of God will this board decide to pay such whopping monies to them…I think that an investigation will unravel that.”