Report by: Ishmael Barfi
The Ghana Red Cross Society is on a mission to drastically crack the whip and deal with some staff alleged to be engaging in corrupt practices.
According to the Ghana Red Cross, such workers are dragging the image and reputation of the organization into the mud.
It is in this direction that the Ghana Red Cross Society has assured the Parliament of Ghana and the public of its commitment to cleaning and restoring the image of the institution.
According to the humanitarian organization, it is currently dealing with and probing some former staff who misconducted themselves by getting involved in some financial malfeasance to instill accountability and integrity within the organization.
In a press conference held on 14th December 2023 at the Red Cross Head Office in Accra, the Acting Secretary General, Mr. Solomon Gbolo Gayoni indicated that, measures have been put in place to ensure such incidents don’t occur in the future.
Speaking about the financial malfeasance, he explained that, the institution is restrained from commenting on the issue due to it being with the Attorney General awaiting its advice on the case but reiterated that, there has been much progress in addressing the issue and also ensuring such acts don’t reoccur.
“We are still committed to the promise whilst the case is with the Attorney General. We cannot comment deeply on it, but I can assure you a lot of work has been done by my team”, he reiterated.
Speaking further, the Acting Secretary General revealed that, with numerous measures and disciplinary actions, both internal processes have been tightened to make misconduct and corruption less attractive.
This he said is to protect and safeguard the integrity and public image of the Red Cross hence, continue to have the trust of local and foreign partners.
“That concerns our integrity. Our integrity and public image are dear to us because the Red Cross relies on its image and goodwill to touch the hands of local partners and the international community to lend a hand of support in times of natural and manmade disasters conflicts, population movements, epidemics, pandemics, etc”.
Mr. Solomon Gbolo Gayoni’s response is about the 2021 Auditor General’s reports discussion on the floor of Parliament on 11th December, 2023 which cited some staff of the Ghana Red Cross Society for being involved in financial malfeasance which has hindered the institution from receiving funding from donor partners to execute it’s core mandate.
The discussion, also highlighted how the actions of the former staff, have dented the image of the Red Cross, which ordinarily is an institution with a reputation of high integrity.
Throwing more light on the issue, he explained that the issue is not a new one, and since the occurrence, the institution has cooperated with the Policemen, the Public Accounts Committee, and the Labour Commission to handle the alleged perpetrators.
“ We hereby assure parliament and the public that we are ready to submit to any form of inquiry that concerns our integrity “, he reiterated.
The Secretary-General who was flanked by other officials of the Red Cross, said the current administration has worked for the past two years to redeem and rebuild the dented image of the Red Cross which is caused by the same Auditor General’s report.
“ In the coming days, you will see more of this where you may participate in a drive to fight disasters hand-in-hand with Parliamentarians, our revered kings and chiefs, and the Red Cross. Such collaboration and positive publicity keeps us relevant and makes us able to attract all the goodwill and attention we need in times of need “, he revealed.
The Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) is the national humanitarian organization of Ghana. It is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which is the world’s largest humanitarian network. The organization’s mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering, protect life and health, and promote human dignity during times of emergencies and disasters.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
