Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has dragged the Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Development Authority, Mr Yaw Owusu, to court over the extension of his post-retirement contract.
The MP contends that Mr Ernest Yaw Owusu has exceeded the maximum five-year engagement period stipulated by the Constitution, as granted to him by President Akufo-Addo and is not entitled to the purported one-year post-retirement contract extension spanning from December 18, 2023, to December 17, 2024.
He is therefore pursuing a declaration asserting that, in accordance with Article 199(4) of the Constitution, a public servant can serve for a maximum of two years at a stretch, not exceeding a total of five years if required due to service exigencies.
Additionally, he is petitioning for a declaration that, under Article 199(4) of the Constitution, a retired public service officer can only be awarded a maximum post-retirement contract of five years, divided into periods not exceeding two years each.
Furthermore, he seeks a declaration stating that the CEO is ineligible for a one-year post-retirement contract extension, having completed the maximum five-year engagement period prescribed by the Constitution.
The Member of Parliament additionally requests an order to rescind the one-year post-retirement contract extension granted to the CEO by the President of Ghana.
In bolstering his argument, the MP underscores that the CEO was granted an additional two-year post-retirement contract, commencing on December 16, 2021, and concluding on December 15, 2023, in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer of the Authority. This arrangement was confirmed by a letter dated December 15, 2021, signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante.
Furthermore, he referenced a letter from the Ministry of Finance, dated August 5, 2022, and signed by Hon. Abena Osei Asare, which cited the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy.
This letter suspended approval for Post-Retirement Contract Appointments, except under circumstances where the retiring officer’s skills are scarce and indispensably required.