VRA Holds 3rd Edition of Top 100 Conference

A Governance and Leadership expert, Mr. Brian. A. Sapati, has called on Management, Directors, Managers and Supervisors of VRA to demonstrate the relevance of the Authority's Code of Ethics through their actions and deeds. To him, that was the surest means to ensure the effective implementation and compliance of the ethical code by all staff in the VRA, stressing that, "it is the responsibility of every employee to understand and comply with the Code of Ethics".

"Directors, Managers and Supervisors are to ensure their subordinates understand and comply with the Code at all times", Mr. Sapati stated at this years VRA Top 100 Conference held in Accra.

This yea's edition which marked the third in the series of the VRA top 100 conference had the theme: "Conflict of interest at the workplace". It was to create a congenial platform for high level discussion on corporate issues of common concern and great interest to the authority to enable deeper understanding and finding lasting solutions to problems affecting the growth and sustainability of VRA.

Mr. Sapati identified conflict of interest as an ethical issue which has to do with a code or a set of principles by which people seek to live their lives and avoid conflict situations. He said corporate ethics involved employees knowing what is right or wrong at the work place and doing what is right with regard to effects of products or services and in relationships with stakeholders.

He stated that ethical behavior does not simply happen in businesses; "it is the product of clear, direct and consistent communication of behavioral expectations, modeled from the top and demonstrated by deeds".

Mr. Sapati, who is also a former Chief Executive Officer of the Serious Fraud Office, reminded management of their additional responsibility on the need to demonstrate, through their actions, the importance of the VRA Code. "The extent of effectiveness of this Code at all times depends on the level of management commitment to "live it" and urgently address ethical questions or concerns as they come up".

He said managers must consider employees' ethics concerns as another encouraged form of business communication and not threats or challenges to their authority. He mentioned situations in which conflict of interest may arise as bribery, fraud, corruption, issues of right and wrong, issues of right and right and issues of right among other issues. He charged employees with conflict of interest questions or challenges to seek advice from their supervisors, the Legal Services or the Human Resources Departments.

Mr. Kweku Andoh Awotwi, Chief Executive of VRA, said he was very particular with issues of conflict of interest and pays close attention to them. To affirm this, he shared his personal experiences as an entrepreneur in the private sector for the past 20 years before joining the VRA nearly four years ago to demonstrate how issues of value, integrity and trust affect staff performance.

He entreated all to set boundaries for private interest and public service "in this time that we seek to be a high performance company". He said breaches of conflict of interest were at odds with the VRA's goal of being a high performance company in the country, adding that, "reputation of integrity is very important for public sector managers".

The Deputy Chief Executive (Services), Mr. Maxwell Odoom, made contributions from the point of an Auditor and how members of the VRA's top 100 should identify and handle such issues when they occur.

In other news (May, 2013)

• VRA supports hole-in-heart child.
• VRA inaugurates first Solar Power Plant at Navrongo.
• CPPCC Vice Chairman Visits Akosombo Hydro-Electric Power Plant.
• Akosombo International School holds second annual graduation.
• VRA's Health Services Department receives eye equipment and ancillary facilities.
• VRA's Kwasi Aniagyei elected President of the Ghana Association of Quasi-Health Institutions (GAQHI).
• VRA PSWU of TUC holds quadrennial delegates congress.

 

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