Chairman of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) Workers’ Divisional Union, Sam Nat Kevor, has called on National Media Commission (NMC) to expedite the union’s petition demanding the removal of GBC’s Director-General, Professor Amin Alhassan , citing widespread mismanagement, intimidation, and a leadership crisis at the state broadcaster.
“We emphasize the resistance of the oppressor’s rule. The management of GBC has turned the organization into a military kangaroo,There is no respect for law, no respect for any worker in GBC. Whatever they think is what they do we’ve been intimidated for too long,” Mr. Kevor declared.
According to the union, staff are routinely victimized for speaking up, with some workers facing unlawful terminations, suspensions of salary, and forced transfers.
“When you speak your truth to power, you’re either transferred or your salary is suspended. This has been a lingering issue, GBC is in a dire state of collapse. But our management projects a false image outside as if all is well” he said .
“Whether you work at a private station or not, you’re a shareholder of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. Because it’s the state’s asset the property of Ghana We must all come together to defend it” he stressed.
The union raised serious questions about the legality of the Director-General’s continued stay in office.
“The DG’s four-year contract expired on 1st October 2023. When asked about his extension, he referred us to HR but every worker has their own appointment letter. Why not him? That promise of a two-week resolution has dragged on for a year” the union lamented.
Mr. Kevor disclosed that the Director General has not received a salary since March, allegedly due to the absence of financial clearance.
“It is untenable for a Director-General, a spending officer, to be signing cheques and documents while not on payroll. What are the legal implications? The NMC is playing unnecessary delay tactics while legal and ethical questions remain unresolved” he asked.
Mr. Kevor again accused management of bypassing established promotion procedures and illegally implementing new policies before they were even due to take effect.
“The Public Services Commission circular requiring a master’s degree was supposed to take effect in August, but GBC started implementing it in June. That policy cannot override our collective agreement,” he said.
He further alleged that deserving staff were denied promotions, while some were promoted without going through the proper committee.
“Our union reps were blocked by security from participating in the promotion exercise. Yet, others were quietly promoted behind closed doors. This is discrimination,” Kevor said.
The union lamented worsening working conditions, including non-payment of medical bills, lack of transportation, and cancelled staff support systems.
“Staff now sleep in their offices from Monday to Friday just to be able to work. We used to have buses serving areas like Kasoa, Madina, and Dansoman. All gone,” he said.
He also condemned the arbitrary termination of appointments, citing the case of a staff member who secured a government scholarship for further studies abroad but was denied leave due to unrealistic demands for a land title as guarantor.
“Our collective agreement doesn’t require this. Management is simply finding ways to frustrate staff development,” Kevor asserted.
Further Kevor revealed that studios, including those of Unique FM, have been shut down, with programming replaced by automated music due to lack of funding and poor management decisions.
“It’s absurd that at 90 years, we are now doing what amounts to a test transmission. This is national embarrassment,” he said.
Meanwhile the Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Professor Amin Alhassan, has debunked allegations of mismanagement and illegitimacy at the state broadcaster, describing the claims by the unionized staff as false and misleading.
In response to accusations that his tenure has expired and that he is presiding over the collapse of GBC, Prof. Alhassan insisted that operations at the corporation remain normal.
“Everything they have told you is false. If you visit GBC, you will realize that work is going on normally. The number of union executives making these claims does not even represent the entire membership; it is just a fraction,” he stated.
He added that any journalist could visit the broadcaster to verify the state of affairs for themselves, stressing that staff are working and programs are being executed as usual.
On the matter of his contract and salary, Prof. Alhassan clarified that delays in financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance are a common occurrence for heads of state institutions and not unique to his case.
“If a Director-General is appointed, it takes time for the Ministry of Finance to issue financial clearance. I can assure you that the Ministry has already issued clearance for the activation of my salary. Every CEO goes through this, so there is nothing unusual about my situation,” he explained.
Prof. Alhassan emphasized that his appointment was made by the National Media Commission (NMC), and as such, any concerns regarding his tenure should be directed there.
The Director-General’s comments come after some unionized staff of GBC declared him persona non grata, accusing him of financial malfeasance, neglect of staff welfare, and presiding over a broadcaster in decline.
