Fireworks@GIA

… As CEO battles pilots, accountants over media exposure
Posted: The Chronicle | Wednesday, December 02, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

A staff durbar organised by the management of Ghana International Airlines to discuss the wayforward for the company, nearly turned into a boxing arena, when the Chief Executive, Madam Gifty Anna-Myers, and the Accountant, Mr. John Oduro, clashed over some disagreements in the operations of the company.
The meeting ended abruptly, after Madam Anna-Myers refused to allow the Accountant continue his submissions on how over $1 million had been made to go waste under her watch, and the celebration of the GIA@4.

The two were restrained by staff to prevent an escalation of their debate, since the issue could have degenerated into fisticuffs.

According to sources at the meeting held last week Wednesday, it began when the CEO opened the meeting with a fierce attack on some of the pilots and engineers, who she claimed were behind a media war against her.

She went ballistic, and at various times described them in unprintable words.

She further noted that some operational staff were peeved following her refusal to let them go abroad to inspect, what she described, as ghost (non-existent) aircraft on offer by Spinoza, one of the companies interested in investing in the GIA.

She described the airline’s pilots as “self-seekers who want the company’s resources used on their training, after which they would do the runner, while the rest of the staff go hungry.”

During question time, the Senior Accountant expressed regret that the CEO was using such a forum to denigrate members of staff who disagreed with her handling of the affairs of the company.

To him, the CEO could have called on those she suspects were behind the ‘war’, and talk to them in private.

The Accountant accused Madam Anna-Myers of allowing $400,000 to go to waste on the training of pilots, which was aborted by her at the last minute, when it was almost completed.

According to the Accountant, there was information that the pilots could not continue with the training after $400,000 had already been spent on them.

Additionally, Mr. Oduro noted that about $600,000 had been spent on the salaries of pilots recruited under her watch, who had remained dormant close to two years, as the airline did not have its own aircraft, since the leased aircraft, Astraeus, came with its own crew.

“The pilots are redundant; some of them even don’t come to the office; they come here at the end of the month to pick their salaries,” the Accountant reiterated.

He also protested the setting aside of $9,700 to celebrate the four year anniversary of the airline.

Oduro argued that there was nothing to celebrate, since the company had consistently made average losses of ¢1.2 million throughout the four years.

The sources said at this juncture, the CEO would not allow the Accountant to continue his submission, a position which led to exchanges between the two.

The Accountant urged the house to disregard the issues raised by the CEO, since it was abusive, self-serving, personally-driven, and principally aimed at settling personal scores with some individuals.

When The Chronicle contacted Mr. Oduro on the allegations, he refused to comment.

“My brother this is an internal matter, so leave me out. I don’t want to comment about it,” he stressed.

Madam Anna-Myers confirmed to The Chronicle about holding a staff durbar, adding that if the pilots did not stop the attacks against her, she would be compelled to expose them in public.

She alluded that the pilots were employed by her predecessors, as a result, she could not be blamed for their redundancy.

She said there had been an occasion where pilots had gone to inspect aircraft, which turned out that they did not exist, hence she declined to grant the pilots permission to inspect the aircraft Spinoza claimed they had acquired for the GIA.

She maintained that the aircraft would be bought if the government was ready to release the necessary amount for the purchase and maintenance. In a related development, the GNA reports that Mr. Kosi Foli, immediate past Secretary General of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), says African Airlines need to form progressive alliances, in order to ensure their successful operations on the continent.

To build a successful aviation industry, “Africa needs a Pan-African solution,” he stressed.

Mr. Foli was speaking to journalists at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra, after joining a South African Airways team to assess Ghana’s prospects of developing into an aviation hub within the sub-region.

He observed that Africa held great potential for growth in the aviation sector, adding that this potential was open for exploration by airlines operating within the continent.

Mr. Foli noted that for airlines to be successful in their operations, the government had to stay out of their operations.

The immediate past AFRAA Secretary General said there was the need for airlines to be responsible for the success of their operations, adding that such responsibility would ensure better accountability, which would in the long run, lead to efficiency in the airline industry in Africa.

Mr. Foli said his team was determined to help revamp Ghana International Airline and brighten its prospects.

He said the airline had great potential for growth, adding that with the right strategies and initiatives, it could become one of the most efficient carriers within the sub-region.

Mr. Jason Krause, Head of Business Development, South African Airways (SA), said his outfit was embarking on the assessment project in countries where it had experienced very successful operations.

He said Ghana was one of such places, prompting the airline to embark upon the initiative.

Mrs. Doreen Owusu Fianko, Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, said the aviation sector was a catalyst for national development.

She noted that South Africa wields great potential for foreign direct investment in Ghana throughout the aviation sector.

“The demands we are having are such that we may have to re-vamp the airports in the other regions of the country. KIA alone might not be enough.”

Mrs. Fianko said at the right time, Ghana would collaborate with SA, to build a vibrant and strong aviation industry in the country.