‘December In GH’ Faces Uncertainty As Rift Rocks GTA Leadership

** Gilbert Abeiku Santana and Maame Efua Houadjeto**

There is growing concern over the execution of this year’s ‘December in GH’ initiative following a reported misunderstanding between the leadership of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).

With just a few months to Christmas and barely two days after the Authority launched the 2026 edition of ‘December in GH’, a letter from the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in charge of Marketing and Special Duties, Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey Santana, has exposed cracks at the top.

The letter, dated October 22, 2026, addressed to the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and titled “Challenges in Securing Timely Access to the Chief Executive Officer for Official Consultations and Decision Making,” details difficulties the Deputy CEO faces in accessing the Chief Executive Officer, Maame Efua Houadjeto.

According to the letter, Mr. Aggrey has had to request meetings through the CEO’s secretary and personal assistant, only to be told she is unavailable, a situation he says is affecting decision making.

The letter reads in part: “I wish to bring to your attention a recurring challenge in accessing the Chief Executive Officer 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.”

Mr. Aggrey is therefore seeking the intervention of the Minister, with the knowledge of the Board Chairperson, to establish a more effective communication and consultation arrangement between his office and that of the CEO on urgent official matters.

He stressed that he remains committed to working professionally with the CEO and the entire management team to achieve the Ministry’s objectives and strengthen the performance of the Authority.

The development has sparked worry among industry players who fear the internal wrangling could jeopardise the successful execution of ‘December in GH’, Ghana’s flagship end-of-year tourism initiative which was launched on October 20 at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, and is scheduled to run from December 1, 2026 to January 3, 2027.

The letter was copied to the Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Board Chairperson of GTA, and the Chief Executive Officer of GTA.

**Response **

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Maame Efua Houadjeto, has responded to concerns raised by her Deputy over challenges in accessing her office for official consultations.

In a response letter dated October 22, 2026, the CEO maintained that she operates an open-door policy, especially for executive and senior management officers.

“As Chief Executive Officer, I operate an OPEN DOOR policy, especially when it comes to Executive and Senior management officers of our organisation,” she noted.

Mrs. Houadjeto said while she was surprised and disappointed that the Deputy’s letter does not reflect the true state of her availability, she agrees that the Deputy’s responsibilities in Domestic Tourism, Special Events and Marketing require timely consultations.

To address the concerns, she proposed five measures to strengthen internal consultation: scheduled executive consultations; urgent matters and escalation; coordination through the executive office; clear delegation and decision-making; and regular management coordination.

She emphasised that the objective is not to address individual concerns but to strengthen overall management effectiveness as well as promote a more responsive and results-oriented institution.

The CEO assured the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts that management remains committed to professionalism and harmonious working relations, and proposed a meeting at the earliest convenient time to agree on practical arrangements for implementing the measures.

Mrs. Houadjeto said she values the contribution of the Deputy CEO and expects collaborative work with mutual respect to achieve the Authority’s mandate.

By Prince Fiifi Yorke

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