President Nana Akufo-Addo has appointed Prof. Stephen Adei as the Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority, revoking an earlier appointment of Kwame Owusu, the former Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, to that position.
The earlier appointment was met with disapproval from a section the public, including anti-corruption crusaders, due to the fact that Mr. Owusu was caught up in an alleged conflict of interest scandal leading to his exit from the Maritime Authority.
There were concerns that for an institution, like the GRA, that was struggling to meet its target, it should not have a person who’s integrity is under contention to steer its affairs.
Although the Presidency has never public commented about the revocation of Mr. Owusu’s appointment, the announcement of Prof. Stephen Adei as new Board Chair will put to bed any hopes about Mr. Owusu leading the Ghana Revenue Authority.
Prof. Adei has been sworn in by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, together with another board member, Eugene Asante Ofosuhene, a former Controller & Accountant-General.
A press release issued by the Finance Ministry described the new board chair as a “change agent and a fearless patriot.”