Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie has referred a dispute between Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) chief executive Maame Efua Houadjeto and deputy CEO Abeiku Santana to Flagstaff House.
Speaking to Starr FM’s Morning Starr on Wednesday, November 4, Ms Gomashie said she expected the Presidency to respond within days, with “decisions taken that will inure to the benefit of the workforce”.
The minister confirmed she had received Mr Santana’s petition and said both officials had been engaged.
“Oh, it’s been done, and I think that we should give it time. And let’s give government time to deal with this,” she said.
Ms Gomashie described the GTA as “the magnet of the tourism part of the ministry” and said it could not operate under the level of strain outlined in the petition.
“We cannot have the tension that you allege, not you, but the letter suggests,” she added.
The dispute began with a letter dated Thursday, October 22, from Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, the broadcaster known as Abeiku Santana. In his role as GTA Deputy CEO for Marketing and Special Duties, he asked the minister to intervene.
Mr Santana said attempts to arrange meetings with the chief executive through her secretary or personal assistant had repeatedly resulted in him being told she was unavailable.
He said this had led to delays in guidance, approvals and decisions involving domestic tourism, special events and marketing. He also cited postponed stakeholder engagements and key assignments within his areas of responsibility.
“My intention is not to make a personal complaint, but to highlight a communication gap that needs to be addressed in the interest of effective management and institutional efficiency,” he wrote.
He asked Ms Gomashie, with the knowledge of the GTA board chairperson, to establish a more effective channel for urgent consultations between the two offices. He also said he remained committed to working professionally with Ms Houadjeto.
The complaint contrasted with the tone Mr Santana adopted after his appointment as acting deputy CEO was confirmed on February 28, 2025, several weeks after President John Mahama appointed Ms Houadjeto as chief executive.
At the time, he pledged his support and said her expertise would “significantly enhance and transform our tourism sector”.
Ms Houadjeto rejected his account in a letter to the GTA board chairperson on Saturday, October 24. She said she maintained an open-door policy, particularly for executive and senior management staff.
“I am surprised and disappointed that the letter does not reflect the true state of my availability to you as my Deputy Chief Executive Officer,” she wrote.
She proposed five steps: regular meetings with her deputy; a process for raising urgent matters and escalating them when necessary; properly communicated and scheduled meeting requests; clearer arrangements for delegated duties and approvals; and more frequent contact among the executive management team.
“Differences in schedules, operational demands, or administrative processes should not become impediments to the effective performance of our collective responsibilities,” she said, proposing an early meeting to agree the arrangements.
The letters became public within days. Presidential Staffer Nana Yaa Jantuah said on JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday, October 26, that whoever leaked them should be sanctioned.
Former COCOBOD Head of Public Affairs Fiifi Boafo said the disagreement damaged the authority’s leadership image and urged a swift resolution. An editorial in Graphic Online on Thursday, October 29, called on the board and minister to “intervene decisively, not cosmetically”.
The dispute comes before the authority’s busiest period, with the 2026 December in GH calendar running from December 1 to January 3, 2027, under the Black Star Experience banner.
The GTA reported 1,306,962 international arrivals in 2025, a 1.4 per cent rise from 1,288,804 in 2024.
Ms Gomashie did not say what Flagstaff House might decide or when. Neither Ms Houadjeto nor Abeiku Santana had publicly responded to her comments by Wednesday evening.
