Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ACCRA1683
2004-08-16 18:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Accra
Cable title:  

PRESIDENT KUFUOR SACKS GHANA AIRWAYS BOARD OF

Tags:  EAIR GH 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ACCRA 001683 

SIPDIS

DEPT PLEASE PASS TO FAA AND DOT
AMEMBASSY DAKAR FOR FAA -- ED JONES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR GH
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT KUFUOR SACKS GHANA AIRWAYS BOARD OF
DIRECTORS

REF: ACCRA 1644

SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS ACCRA 001683

SIPDIS

DEPT PLEASE PASS TO FAA AND DOT
AMEMBASSY DAKAR FOR FAA -- ED JONES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR GH
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT KUFUOR SACKS GHANA AIRWAYS BOARD OF
DIRECTORS

REF: ACCRA 1644

SUMMARY
--------------

1. President Kufuor has dissolved The Board of Directors of
Ghana Airways. Citing management lapses and eroded public
confidence, the President replaced the board with a task
force to "review and restructure" the airline. Meanwhile,
DOT has extended limited economic authority to Ghana Airways
for continued flights to the U.S. with wet-leased aircraft
until August 30. End Summary.


2. In a press release dated August 12 the President's office
named a four-person task force to run Ghana Airways. The
group consists of Gustave A. Mate Azu, Group Captain Frank
Okyne, Mrs. Frances Adu-Mante and Kojo Andah.

-- Gustave A. Mate Azu worked as a senior officer at KLM's
Ghana office. Sources say he served KLM for over 25 years
and carries respectable credentials in the aviation industry.
He was described as a key player in reengineering KLM's
operations in Ghana and West Africa.

-- Group Captain Frank Okyne is a retired Ghana Air Force
officer who served as CEO of Ghana Airways in the 1980's. He
is perceived as a professional, strong-willed and firm
decision maker, quick to resist political interference. One
source claims he left Ghana Airways in the 1980's when he
tired of political meddling at the airline.

-- Mrs. Frances Adu Mante is a lawyer by profession and has
worked with ECOBANK since 1989. She also worked at the
defunct Bank for Housing & Construction (BHC) for 15 years.
She is the wife of Mr. Robert Adu Mante, Financial Consultant
to Senior Minister J.H. Mensah. She is close to Minister of
Finance Yaw Osafo Maafo, and her brother-in-law is the Acting
Managing Director of Ghana Commercial Bank.

-- Mr. Kojo Andan, a financial consultant, is credited with
turning around the fortunes of the Department of National
Lotteries (DNL). Sales at DNL have increased from 2 billion
cedis to 5 billion cedis since he became CEO.


3. It is not clear what authority the task force has been
given. At this time Ghana Airways' management structure
remains intact and interim Chief Executive Akua Sarpong is in
place. Sarpong told Econoff the task force met with her and
requested she continue to repatriate stranded customers and
cease the sale of tickets for all destinations. Since both
of these points were made explicitly in the President's press
release, it remains to be seen what action the task force
will take.


4. Sarpong also told Econoff that Ghana Air will continue to
wet lease aircraft from World Airways at least until the
newly extended DOT passenger repatriation deadline of August

30. Post will attempt to meet with task force members to
reiterate the conditions of Ghana Air's limited economic
authority and the conditions that must be met for Ghana Air
to recommence ticket sales for U.S. routes.
YATES