'Surprised and disappointed' — GTA CEO Efua Houadjeto responds to Abeiku Santana's petition to minister

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Maame Efua Houadjeto, has rejected claims by her deputy, Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, that she is inaccessible, insisting that she operates an open-door policy.

In a letter dated October 24, 2026, addressed to the board chairperson, she said she was "surprised and disappointed" that Mr Aggrey's October 22 petition to the sector minister did not reflect her availability for meetings and consultations.

Mr Aggrey had petitioned the minister over what he described as repeated difficulties in securing meetings with the CEO through her secretary, saying the situation had caused delays in operational matters and stakeholder engagements.

Proposed measures
In response to the concerns, Maame Houadjeto proposed five measures to improve internal communication and strengthen coordination within the authority's executive management.

The proposals include scheduled consultations between the CEO and Deputy CEO to review departmental priorities and operational challenges, as well as a clear procedure for identifying urgent matters requiring immediate attention.

She also called for escalation channels to be established for situations in which scheduled meetings could not take place.

The GTA CEO further proposed that meeting requests be properly communicated, acknowledged and scheduled by the relevant officers, with the urgency of each matter taken into account.

Other measures include clarifying delegated responsibilities and approval procedures, and promoting constructive engagement among members of the executive management team to minimise delays.

"I wish to emphasise that the objective of these measures is not merely to address individual concerns, but to strengthen the overall effectiveness of our management processes," she said.

Maame Houadjeto assured the minister and the board of the management team's commitment to professionalism and institutional discipline.

She also acknowledged Mr Aggrey's contribution to the authority and expressed the expectation that both executives would continue to collaborate in the discharge of their responsibilities.

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

Attached is what Gilbert Aggrey wrote in his letter the minister

CHALLENGES IN SECURING TIMELY ACCESS TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR OFFICIAL CONSULTATIONS AND DECISION MAKING

I wish to bring to your attention a recurring challenge in accessing the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for consultations on urgent operational matters relating to my responsibilities as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, particularly in Domestic Tourism, Special Events, and Marketing.

On several occasions, I have had to request meetings through the CEO's secretary or personal assistant. only to be informed that she is unavailable. While I appreciate the demands on her schedule, this has made it difficult to obtain timely guidance, approvals, and decisions needed to carry out my duties effectively. This situation sometimes causes delays in operations, stakeholder engagements, and the implementation of key assignments.

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.

I therefore respectfully seek your intervention, with the knowledge of the Board Chairperson, to help establish a more effective communication and consultation arrangement between the CEO and my office, especially on urgent official matters.

I remain committed to working professionally with the CEO and the entire management team to achieve the Ministry's objectives and strengthen the performance of the Ghana Tourism Authority.

Thank you, Honourable Minister, for your attention, understanding, and guidance.

Yours faithfully,
GILBERT ABEIKU AGGREY
DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (MARKETING & SPECIAL DUTIES)

Below is Mrs Maame Efua Houdjeto's letter to the Board Chairperson in reaction to Abeiku Santana's letter

RESPONSE TO CONCERNS REGARDING ACCESS TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR OFFICIAL CONSULTATTONS AND DECISION-MAKING

I acknowledge receipt of the letter dated 22 October 2026 regarding the challenges raised by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Marketing & Special Duties regarding timely access of my office for consultations on urgent operational matters.

I appreciate him bringing this matter to my attention and recognizing the importance of effective communication, timely decision-making, and close coordination among the Authonty's executive management to ensure the efficient discharge of our respective responsibilities. And this reason is why I, as the Chief Executive Officer, operates an OPEN DOOR policy, especially when it comes to Executive and Senior management officers of our organization.

As an institution entrusted with advancing Ghana's tourism industry, the Ghana Tourism Authority must operate on the principles of professionalism, mutual respect, accountability, and collective responsibility. It is therefore important that any communication gaps that may impede the execution of official assignments are identified and addressed promptly in the best interest of the Authority.

I acknowledge that the responsibilities of the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, particularly m 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. I agree that appropriate arrangements must be in place to ensure that urgent matters receive the necessary attention without undue delay.

In as much as 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, I propose that we strengthen our internal consultation and communication arrangements through the following measures:

1. Scheduled Executive Consultations: Establish regular meetings between the Chief Executive Officer and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer to review departmental priorities, operational challenges, ongoing assignments, and matters requiring executive direction.

2. Urgent Matters and Escalation: Introduce a clear procedure for flagging urgent matters requiring immediate attention, including appropriate channels for escalation where a scheduled consultation is not possible.

3. Coordination Through the Executive Office: Ensure that requests for meetings and consultations are appropriately communicated, acknowledged, and scheduled by the relevant officers, with due consideration given to the urgency and importance of each matter.

4. Clear Delegation and Decision-Making: Strengthen clarity regarding delegated responsibilities, approval processes, and matters requiring the direct intervention of the Chief Executive Officer, in accordance with the Authority's established administrative and governance procedures.

5. Regular Management Coordination: Encourage constructive engagement among members of the executive management team to minimize delays, resolve operational challenges, and ensure the consistent implementation of decisions and institutional priorities.

I wish to emphasize that the objective of these measures is not merely to address individual concers, but to strengthen the overall effectiveness of our management processes and promote a more responsive, coordinated, and results-oriented institution.

I also wish to assure the Honourable Minister and your good self that the management of the Authority remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and institutional discipline. We recognize the importance of harmonious working relationships within the executive management team and will 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. Differences in schedules, operational demands, or administrative processes should not become impediments to the effective performance of our collective responsibilities.

I therefore propose that a meeting is set at the earliest mutually convenient opportunity to agree on practical arrangements for implementing the measures outlined above.

Please accept the assurances of my commitment to strengthening executive coordination, improving operational efficiency, and advancing the strategic objectives of the Authonity

MAAME EFUA HOUADJETO
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER