The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Maame Efua Houadjeto, has responded to concerns raised by her deputy, Gilbert Abeiku 'Santana' Aggrey, over difficulties accessing her for official consultations and decision-making.

In a letter dated 24 October 2026 and addressed to the Chairperson of the GTA Board of Directors, Ms Houadjeto acknowledged the concerns raised by the Deputy CEO in charge of Marketing and Special Duties and said effective communication and timely decision-making were important to the Authority’s work.

She said she operates an “OPEN DOOR” policy, particularly for executive and senior management officers.

“I acknowledge that the responsibilities of the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, particularly in the areas of Domestic Tourism, Special Events, Marketing, and other assigned duties, require timely consultations and decisions on matters that may have operational, financial, strategic, or stakeholder implications,” she stated.

Ms Houadjeto, however, said she was “surprised and disappointed” that Mr Aggrey’s letter did not reflect what she described as the true state of her availability to him as her deputy.

She proposed a number of measures to strengthen communication and consultation between the two offices.

These include regular scheduled executive consultations to review departmental priorities, operational challenges, ongoing assignments and matters requiring executive direction.

She also proposed a clear procedure for urgent matters and escalation, including appropriate channels for matters requiring immediate attention when a scheduled consultation is not possible.

Under the proposed arrangement, requests for meetings and consultations would be communicated, acknowledged and scheduled through the Executive Office, taking into account the urgency and importance of each matter.

Ms Houadjeto further called for greater clarity on delegated responsibilities, approval processes and matters requiring the direct intervention of the CEO, in line with the Authority’s administrative and governance procedures.

She also proposed regular management coordination to help minimise delays, resolve operational challenges and ensure the consistent implementation of decisions and institutional priorities.

“The objective of these measures is not merely to address individual concerns, but to strengthen the overall effectiveness of our management processes and promote a more responsive, coordinated, and results-oriented institution,” she said.

Ms Houadjeto assured the Tourism Minister and the Board Chairperson of the Authority’s commitment to professionalism and institutional discipline.

She said management would continue to address administrative challenges through constructive engagement and the appropriate institutional channels.

“I value the contribution of the Deputy Chief Executive Officer to the Authority and expect that we will continue to work collaboratively, with mutual respect and a shared commitment to achieving our mandate,” she stated.

She also proposed that a meeting be held at the earliest mutually convenient opportunity to agree on practical arrangements for implementing the measures.

Ms Houadjeto said the measures were intended to strengthen executive coordination, improve operational efficiency and advance the strategic objectives of the GTA.