Renowned academician, Professor Emeritus Stephen Adei, has announced an upcoming "explosive" book titled 15 Months in the Lion's Den, set to be released after the 2024 elections for strategic reasons.

In an exclusive interview, Prof. Adei shared that the book documents his 15-month tenure as the Board Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), detailing the inner workings of the government during his service.

"I don't want to talk plenty now, just wait for my book called 15 Months in the Lion's Den," he teased.

Prof. Adei explained that he chose to delay the release to avoid accusations of attempting to influence the election.

"One of the reasons I am holding on is because I don't want to influence the politics of Ghana. It is an election year, and if I release the book, a lot of people will say Stephen Adei intended to influence the elections," he noted.

He hinted that the book’s contents would be critical of the Akufo-Addo administration but clarified that, as a statesman, he couldn't compare it to the previous John Mahama government, having not worked under it.

"As a man who has been privileged to work in high public office, I can only talk about what I know—but I cannot do comparative analysis between one thing I know and another thing I don't know. As a statesman, I need to be careful when I say what," he emphasized.

During his tenure, Prof. Adei discovered that many GRA appointments were based on connections rather than merit. His board opened applications for positions, leading to the replacement of five acting deputy commissioners with more qualified individuals.

He also expressed surprise at the current Commissioner General of GRA, Julie Essiam’s stated age.

"I was aware that Julie Essiam was due for retirement in April 2021. It surprises me that recently when she was appointed CG, her stated age was 61. I believe she should be at least 64 by now," he said.

Prof. Adei described how his board changed the culture at GRA, ensuring that only the Commissioner General would present proposals to the board, leading to smoother operations.

He also recounted instances of due process being circumvented, including how Julie Essiam, then Commissioner for Support Services, negotiated a deal with a company in Kenya without board approval.

"I am therefore not surprised that Julie Essiam is today allegedly handing over domestic tax mobilization to an Indian company without following due process and without recourse to the board," he remarked.

Prof. Adei hopes to secure a publisher soon after the elections to bring 15 Months in the Lion's Den to the public.