A petition, has been submitted to the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, calling for the revocation of Prof. Alexander Nii Oto Dodoo’s post-retirement contract as Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).
The petition, dated 17 January 2025, was filed by Jerry John Afful, a GSA worker. It accuses Prof. Dodoo of mismanagement, non-compliance with organizational policies, and financial imprudence, which he claims have significantly affected the agency’s operations.
According to Afful, GSA’s resources have been mismanaged under Prof. Dodoo’s leadership, leading to poor maintenance of operational vehicles and deteriorating laboratory equipment.
“Most of our operational vehicles are in poor condition, making it difficult to carry out official duties. Our laboratory equipment is also in bad shape, yet Prof. Dodoo spends thousands of dollars on management meetings at luxury venues like the Royal Senchi Hotel and Resort instead of using our own conference facilities at Standards Heights,” Afful stated in the petition.
He further alleged that critical decisions affecting the agency have been taken based on personal preferences rather than organizational policy.
Afful criticized the appointment of personnel without the required technical expertise, citing an instance where an individual with a food science background was appointed to head an engineering-based department.
“This undermines the integrity of the organization and the principle of specialization. As a result, we have ended up procuring Mettler Toledo Balances that are unsuitable for the volume-accredited calibration laboratory operations. Despite end-user concerns about the equipment’s poor readability, the DG instructed the supplier to proceed with the installation,” the petition claimed.
The petition also alleged that Prof. Dodoo’s actions led to the closure of the GSA’s legal department after he reportedly transferred the department head, whom he suspected of political opposition, and outsourced legal services at great cost to the organization.
“When the head of the legal department tried to advise him on some decisions, he labelled her as an NDC member, transferred her to the ministries, and later shut down the department. Now, GSA pays huge sums to external law firms for legal services,” Afful asserted.
Additionally, he raised concerns about the temporary closure of the Dimensional Laboratory due to mold infestation, which has rendered equipment unusable.
“The lab has been closed for six months due to severe mold growth, which has spread to the roof and caused drizzling inside, leading to equipment rust. This threatens our ability to maintain accreditation and puts GSA’s reputation at risk,” he warned.
The petition further questioned the rationale behind the previous government’s decision to extend Prof. Dodoo’s tenure until June 30, 2025, despite his reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60 in May 2024.
Afful urged the Chief of Staff to invoke Article 199, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which mandates public officers to retire at 60, and appoint a new Director-General to restore GSA’s credibility.
“Retaining Prof. Dodoo in his current position will only lead to further complications for GSA and your government. As the African proverb goes, ‘He who fetched ant-infested firewood to his home should not get angry when lizards begin to pay him a visit.’ I trust that you will take the necessary steps to uphold the integrity of our institution,” Afful’s petition concluded.
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