Frances Essiam Not Suspended – Energy Ministry

The Energy Ministry has dismissed as null and void the suspension of the embattled CEO of the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited Frances Essiam, Starr news has gathered.

The board of GCMCL Tuesday ordered Essiam to step aside with immediate effect.

The action came on the back of the impasse between the board and Essiam over some of her decisions since assuming the post last year.

The Board, in the interim, appointed the Technical Director of the company, Mr. Ezekiel Mensah to act in the absence of Madam Essiam.

Mr. Mensah, however, does not have the power to take “major administrative decisions such as promotion, termination of appointment, dismissal or engagement of new employees without the consent of the Board.”

The board also in the statement announcing the suspension of Essiam after a meeting at the Robin Hood Hotel on the Spintex road, ordered that all contracts entered into by the embattled CEO have been put on hold pending investigations.



The directive of the Board however has been suspended by the Energy Ministry, sources close to the development told Starr News.

The setting aside of the Board’s decision, according to the sources, was taken Wednesday during a meeting between officials of the Energy Ministry and members of the Board.

The Ministry subsequently in a statement announced the constitution of a three-member investigatory committee to probe the impasse at the GCMCL.

“It is the considered view of the Ministry that due to the nature of the impasse and the fact that the Board is an interested party in the matter an independent committee will produce a more objective result.

“Consequently, the Ministry in consultation with the SEC, has setup a three (3) member committee made up of a Senior Lawyer and Governance Expert, a Chartered Accountant and banker, and a Petroleum expert at the Ministry to investigate the matter,” the statement said.

Source:Starrfmonline.com