Dismissal of over 100 workers not politically motivated – DVLA boss

The CEO of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) says the dismissal of the over 100 workers at the Authority last Friday has no political undertones.

Kwesi Agyeman Busia said the action was motivated by the financial sustainability of the Authority against its “over bloated” staff.

In an interview with Joy News’ Elton Brobbey Monday, the DVLA boss said the decision to cut back on the staff was reached after an exhaustive analysis about the general operation of the Authority.

“We looked at several modules of how we could streamline the Authority…it became clear that we needed to cut back the most vulnerable group,” he said.

Mr Agyeman Busia’s comment comes days after the Authority summarily dismissed over 100 administrative staff employed within September and December, 2016.

Joy News gathered some of the workers had their dismissal letters handed to them by hand in the office and those who were absent had theirs delivered by courier.

The dismissal came days after the Medical Director of the Ridge Hospital Dr Thomas Awuni Anaba was transferred to another facility as well as the dismissal of the Corporate Affairs Director of the Ghana Gas Company, Alfred Ogbamey.

It was speculated that the dismissed DVLA workers were part of former President John Mahama’s last minute appointments made after the December 7, 2016 general elections.

But the Authority has dismissed that claim, saying the action was purely taken to improve on its efficiency and financial standing.

The DVLA boss explained, “The December elections happened it is over… it [the dismissal] has nothing to do with it [politics] but has everything to do with financial sustenance.”

Mr Agyeman Busia said the decision to lay off the workers was a difficult one management of the Authority had to take.

“Whenever you let your employee go you are probably looking at five people [being] affected,” he said.

He said he has brought on board a consultant to streamline the operation of the Authority to reduce the human to human interaction.

Mr Agyeman Busia said the menace of middle men known as ‘goro’ boys in the processing of documents would be reduced if planned changes at the Authority are completed.

He noted the Authority is looking critically at exceptional cases to see if those workers would be reinstated.

Myjoyonline