The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has confirmed it paid four former employees of the Corporation, comprising of two former Chief Executives and two Managers.

A statement released by the Corporate Affairs Department of the GNPC, said two former Chief Executives of the Corporation, Messrs Tsatsu Tsikata and Nana Boakye Asafo-Adjei, as well as Benjamin Dagadu, Field Evaluation and Development Manager and Esther Cobbah, Public Affairs Manager, benefited from the payment.

The payments are ex-gratia for the four who left the GNPC over decade-and-a-half ago.

Former Deputy Energy Minister under the Kufuor administration, KT Hammond, blew the whistle on the payments last week, demanding a probe.

“Out of the money that has been allocated to GNPC, about one million cedis has been given to Mr Tsikata for free after having stayed away from anything to do with GNPC, government for about fifteen years,” KT told Parliament.

The Adansi Asokwa legislator insisted the payments were criminal and ought not to have been made.

Speaking on the matter on Joy FM's Super Morning Show Monday, Mr. Hammond singled out the former GNPC Chief Executives and said persons who left GNPC virtually bankrupt cannot deserve such handsome payments.

He challenged the GNPC to deny his claims or confirm same and explain the justification for the payments.

The GNPC, apparently accepting the challenge, released a statement saying the Board of Directors of the company has approved the payment of ex-gratia to the four former managers of the Corporation.

Read the unedited version of the statement below:

The Board of Directors of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), has approved the payment of ex-gratia to four former employees of the Corporation, comprising of two former Chief Executives and two Managers.

The four and the positions at which they exited GNPC are: Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata (Chief Executive); Nana Boakye Asafu-Adjaye (Ag. Chief Executive); Mr. Benjamin Dagadu (Field Evaluation and Development Manager); and Ms. Esther Cobbah (Public Affairs Manager).

The four served the Corporation for periods ranging between 12 and 21 years.  They were all removed from office in 2001, under circumstances that did not allow for the payment of their respective accumulated separation entitlements.

The Board of Directors of the Corporation, after in-depth review of the situation, concluded that the payment of the end-of-service benefits to these management personnel, who had made invaluable contributions to the development of the Corporation, is a valid obligation.  The Board took the position that meeting this obligation, however belatedly, is the right thing to do.

The Corporation computed the amounts to be paid to each of the affected senior managers on the same basis as what has been used with respect to all staff who are made redundant or separated from the organisation.