On November 11, 2024, the Upper East Regional Minister, Dr. Alhaji Hafiz Bin Sally, visited the Irrigation Company of Upper Regions (ICOUR) in Bolgatanga, Ghana, accompanied by police officers to initiate the handover process following the retirement of Dr. Benedict Bonaventure Aligebam. This action came after the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) and the Ghana Trade Union Congress locked the minister’s office due to Dr. Aligebam’s refusal to comply with several requests to hand over his responsibilities since his retirement in February 2024.
According to reports from Word News, Dr. Aligebam had initially contacted Dr. Bin Sally, expressing his intention to come to the minister’s office for the handover. However, after waiting for Dr. Aligebam’s arrival, the minister decided to visit ICOUR himself. Despite multiple attempts to reach Dr. Aligebam by phone, he did not respond.
Faced with this situation, Dr. Bin Sally appointed Mr. Charles Asaana Aboyella, the former Farmer Service Manager, as the Acting Managing Director of ICOUR until a substantive replacement is named. Prior to this announcement, Dr. Bin Sally held a closed-door meeting with the staff to discuss the transition.
Dr. Bin Sally emphasized that the company has been in the news for negative reasons for some time and asserted that he would not allow Dr. Aligebam to hinder the company’s development. He confirmed his attempts to arrange a handover ceremony with Dr. Aligebam, who ultimately declined to attend.
“I’ve been tasked to ensure that Charles Asaana Aboyella takes office today. I have informed the former managing director, Dr. Aligebam, but unfortunately, he is not here with us. We will not allow an individual to disrupt this process. Mr. Asaana Aboyella is a staff member and part of the management team, so introducing him to the staff was not difficult. We expect the narrative surrounding ICOUR to change for the better,” he stated.
Mr. Asaana Aboyella pledged to collaborate closely with staff and key stakeholders to promote the growth of the company and improve its public image.
source: mywordfmonline.com/Gaspard Ayuureneeya