Omanghana
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Maame Efua Houadjeto, has disputed claims by her deputy, Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, popularly known as Abeiku Santana, that he faces persistent difficulties accessing her for official consultations.
In a response dated October 24, 2026, addressed to the GTA Board Chairperson, Houadjeto expressed surprise and disappointment over the complaint. She maintained that she operates an open-door policy available to executive and senior management staff.
Her response followed a petition submitted by Abeiku Santana to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts on October 22, 2026.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Marketing and Special Duties alleged that attempts to arrange meetings through the CEO’s secretary or personal assistant had repeatedly encountered delays. He argued that the difficulties were affecting operational decisions, stakeholder engagements and the execution of important assignments.
Houadjeto rejected that characterization of her availability, saying the petition did not accurately reflect her approach to engaging with colleagues. However, she proposed several measures to improve consultation and coordination within the authority.
These include regularly scheduled meetings between the CEO and her deputy to review departmental priorities, address outstanding matters and resolve operational challenges.
She also proposed a clear procedure for escalating urgent issues requiring executive attention. Such an arrangement would provide a defined route for time-sensitive matters to receive prompt consideration.
Other measures outlined in her response include improving the administration of meeting requests and calendars, clarifying responsibilities and strengthening collaboration across the executive leadership team.
The exchange presents differing accounts of communication within the authority. While Abeiku Santana maintains that access difficulties have hindered his work, Houadjeto insists that she remains available for consultation and has offered more structured arrangements to support internal engagement.
The petition and response have placed the matter before the sector ministry and the GTA Board as the authority prepares for Ghana’s December tourism season.
Source: Omanghana
