PURC Staff Lock Out Offices; Demand Immediate Removal of Samuel Sarpong

Staff of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) have locked out their offices nationwide, in protest of the continued stay in office of its Executive Secretary, Samuel Sarpong.

It followed a resolution reached by executive members of the workers’ union after a meeting late Wednesday, September 6, 2017.

Joy News in May, broke the news about the alleged financial malfeasance involving the Mr Sarpong and then Head of Public Relations, Nana Yaa Jantuah.

Mr Sarpong was alleged to have transferred GHS435,087, into his personal account while Nana Yaa Jantuah is also reported to have spent GHS120,000 on 350 Christmas hampers in 2012.

At least some 20 staff of the Commission have been interrogated the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) including the two top management members. Following the publication, Nana Yaa Jantuah in a memo to the Executive Secretary tendered in her resignation from the Commission.

Months after the investigations into the alleged was concluded and reports submitted to the Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Opare, the staff say they are yet to hear any decisive action from the government while the embattled Executive Secretary stays at post.

“We have made a follow-up to the BNI and they said the investigation was commissioned by Chief of staff and they have forwarded the report to Chief of Staff,” Alhaji Abukari Jabaru, Chairman of the PURC Workers’ Union told Joy FM, Thursday.

Alhaji Abukari Jabaru said “The inaction is causing anxiety [because] the staff could resist whatever action that Mr. Sarpong could take”.

He added that following the directive by the Union, “all the staff at the head office cannot have access to their offices”.

He said the Union’s position on the removal from office of Mr. Sarpong, still stands because they have enough proof that he is incapable of occupying the position.

“His style of management is bringing the administration backward; he’s not competent administratively…