Some workers of the Vola River Authority (VRA) have rejected the appointment of Ekow Obeng Kenzo as the Acting Chief Executive Officer.
At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday February 18, 2025, the group of workers, led by Jacob Amartey said that Mr. Kenzo allegedly stands accused of ordering the opening of the Akosombo Dam spillway gates without adequate stakeholder involvement, notices, or necessary precautionary measures.
“This irresponsible action resulted in catastrophic flooding, unprecedented in the management of the lake, and displaced thousands of vulnerable citizens along the Volta Lake. His lack of competence in crisis management and disaster preparedness has severely tarnished VRA’s track record,” they said.
Additionally, the worker said, ”Staff who handled the 2010 spilling exercises were completely excluded from the 2023 spillage under a committee headed by Mr. Kenzo. Numerous staff have also voiced out their distress over his authoritarian leadership style, labeling him a workplace ‘bully. His unilateral decision-making, along with reports of personal misconduct, inappropriate workplace relationships, and selective promotions, has led to a toxic work environment. The VRA Ladies Association has reportedly condemned the favoritism in promotions under his watch.”
Despite holding the Deputy Chief Executive (Engineering & Operations) position, the workers also said Mr. Kenzo failed to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s power generation plan.
“Under his leadership, not a single megawatt of new conventional power has been added. Instead, he focused on relocating the Ameri power units from Aboadze to Kumasi at an unreasonably high cost, raising concerns about financial mismanagement”.
“In recent months, Mr. Kenzo has engaged in aggressive lobbying to secure the Chief Executive position, using underhanded tactics to influence the selection process”, they added.
“His desperation raises serious questions about what he seeks to cover up and the integrity of his leadership ambitions. Furthermore, Mr. Kenzo has actively participated in the recruitment of unqualified individuals, including NPP loyalists, into the VRA without due process. This includes placing party-affiliated individuals with no communication experience into senior officer and managerial roles that traditionally require at least 12 years of post-qualification experience”, they concluded.
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