I am happily retired and not serving as Executive Secretary of NIA - Ken Attafuah
Accra, Ghana - 19. Jan, 2025 - Former Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof. Kenneth Attafuah, has dismissed a letter circulating on social media, claiming he's been relieved of his duties.
In a Facebook post, Attafuah clarified that he retired from the NIA on November 13, 2024, after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65.
According to Attafuah, he handed over the reins to Mr. Mahama Suleman Sualihu, Director of Internal Audit at NIA, who has been acting as Executive Secretary since November 14, 2024. Attafuah also emphasized that he submitted his Handing Over Notes and vacated the official bungalow, completing the transition process.
The controversy surrounds a letter purportedly signed by Dr. Calistus Mahama, Secretary to President John Dramani Mahama, directing Attafuah to hand over duties to Mr. Wisdom Kwaku Deku. However, Attafuah's conversation with Dr. Mahama revealed that the letter was likely issued in error, and its withdrawal has been rerequesd.
Attafuah urged the public to disregard any claims suggesting he's still serving as Executive Secretary, emphasizing that he's "happily retired".
"A few moments ago, I engaged with Dr. Calistus Mahama, Secretary to His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, regarding a letter widely circulated on social media since Thursday, 16th January 2025, purporting to revoke my appointment as Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority with immediate effect.
The said letter, reproduced below, also directed me to hand over the duties of my office to Mr. Wisdom Kwaku Deku, who has been appointed by President Mahama as the Acting Executive Secretary of NIA.
My engagement with Dr. Calistus Mahama today followed an earlier one yesterday, during which I pointed out the following incontrovertible facts to him and, based on those facts, respectfully requested him to formally withdraw the letter of revocation of appointment:
1. I retired from the Public Service of Ghana as Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA) on 13th November 2024;
2. My exit from NIA followed the expiration of my post-retirement contract after my 65th birthday on 9th November 2024;
3. I handed over the duties of my office to Mr. Mahama Suleman Sualihu, Director of Internal Audit at NIA, who has been acting as the Executive Secretary since 14th November 2024 (following a resolution of the NIA Governing Board); and
4. I duly submitted my Handing Over Notes to Mr. Sualihu who subsequently forwarded same to the Transition Team on time, and I have also handed over all properties belonging to NIA in my custody and vacated the official bungalow I occupied during my tenure as Executive Secretary of NIA.
The above facts might have been inadvertently missed in the preparation and issuance of the said letter. In the circumstances, the withdrawal of the impugned letter will help redress the awkwardness and embarrassment it has caused me personally, and also address any apparent slighting of the lawful appointment of Mr. Mahama Sualihu as Acting Executive Secretary since 14th November.
At the end of our cordial WhatsApp chat yesterday, Dr. Calistus Mahama asked me to "rest assured" that he had "requested that the letter be withdrawn since [I am] no longer with the NIA."
I understand that someone from Jubilee House went to NIA yesterday mid-afternoon and simply collected, rather than officially withdraw, the letter.
This evening, I conveyed to Dr. Calistus my earnest conviction that only an explicit written withdrawal of the impugned letter will kill the mischief on both sides of the political divide. He has assured me he will work on it on Monday when he gets to the office.
In short, I'm happily retired and not serving as Executive Secretary of NIA. Any suggestion to the contrary is false and should be disregarded", he wrote on Facebook.
Source: Lead News Online
