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GCMC board indicted for illegally increasing salaries and allowances by 400%

The audit conducted by the Ghana Audit Service between 2016 and 2017 has revealed that the <a id="cb378eb6-2424-47db-9665-b9d5cb27b295" href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/ece-frontpage/ghana-cylinder-impasse-sack-frances-essiam-too-copec-to-nana-addo/k25hrmz">Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company</a> (GCMC) illegally increased their monthly salaries and sitting allowances for the chair and members by 400%.
Frances Essiam, CEO of GCMC
Frances Essiam, CEO of GCMC

According to reports by Starr FM, an audit into the operations of the company revealed that the monthly fees have seen some 400% increment since the new board took over.

The report stated that the allowance for the board chair has jumped from GH¢650 to GH¢3000 while that of members who took GH¢500 has ballooned to GH¢2000.

The audit report said "Our review of the first (1st) minute of the Board of Directors meeting of the Company held on Thursday 2I September, 2017 disclosed that the Board increased their monthly fee, and sitting allowances by themselves instead of seeking approval from members at a general meeting. The monthly fee was increased from GHC650 for Chairman and GH¢580.00 for members to GH¢3,000.00 for Chairman and GH¢2,000.00 for members. The sitting allowance was also, increased from GH¢600.00 for Chairman and GH¢500.00 for members to GH¢1000."

The report also indicted the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company, Frances Essiam for increasing the salary of staff.

"The Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) of the Company, arbitrarily increased the salary and wages of the workers by 30% to 50%. 

"She again increased the number of staff from 36 to 59 without approval from the governing board, or reference to any approved salary structure and scheme of service. This resulted in an increase of the Wage bill astronomically, from GH¢44,531.81 in June 2017 to GH¢112,404.78 as December 2017," it added.

In 2018, Frances Essiam took a decision to sack the Finance and Accounts manager, a move that has triggered a power struggle in the struggling state company.

Frances Essiam said the Finance manager was on probation and therefore could be sacked if performance was unsatisfactory.

Her decision, she said, was backed by the company's condition of service.

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