VOLTA RIVER AUTHORITY
GLOBAL COMPACT COMMUNICATION ON PROGRESS (COP) REPORT FOR 2008.
PRINCIPLES 1 & 2
ACTIONS AND PROCESSESS
HUMAN RIGHTS
1. Businesses should
support and respect
the protection of
internationally
proclaimed
human rights
2. Businesses should
make sure that they are
not complicit
in human rights abuses. .
Labour Standards
Organizational Structure:
The Volta River Authority has an approved corporate organizational departmental
structure which

Clearly establishes levels of responsibility

Defines specific job functions and reporting relationships.
Employment Rules:
The Authority has a well established recruitment policy and procedure viz::

Internal and external advertisements

Areas for employment are opened to male and female as well as able and
disabled. Equal opportunity is given to potential applicants regardless of race,
colour, gender etc. There is no discrimination.

There are the staff conditions of service that specify grievance and disciplinary
procedures, benefits and welfare packages such as vacation break, medical
care, rest hour, etc.

There are also opportunities for development (* VRA needs to specify in
recruitment adverts that we are an equal opportunities employer)
Employee Information and Training Plan
VRA is committed to Protection of rights of employees and customers by providing
information, public education, media encounters and consulting services.
Employee Information:

VRA has negotiated and documented conditions of service between management
on one side and junior staff and their mother union on the other. This is
renegotiated every two years.

Senior staff have documented conditions of service resulting from consultation
with management.
Training Plan: VRA has
Scheme of service that defines the career path and the attendant job
competencies and skills.

Self development loans to employees who wish to further their education

Study leave, with or without pay

Career guidance and counseling during performance appraisal sessions.

Approval to pursue self initiative courses outside working hours that do not
conflict with working hours.

Well structured management/technical training for new recruits

There is on-the-job / off-the- job training which is budgeted for yearly.
PRINCIPLE 3, 4 AND 5
ACTIONS AND PROCESSESS
LABOUR STANDARDS
• The Authority recognizes employees’ rights to belong to any association of their
3. Businesses should
uphold the freedom
of association and the
effective recognition
of the right to collective
bargaining;
choice. Some of these associations are the House/Divisional Union of Public Services
Workers Union of TUC, The Senior Staff Association and Management staff association.
• There are various associations of professional bodies in the Volta River Authority:
Internal:
a. Society of Volta River Engineers Association (SOVREA)
b. Association of Volta River Technician Engineers (AVRATE)
c. VRA Ladies Association
• Professionals are also allowed to join any external association and VRA pays for the
subscription.
External:
a. Ghana Institution of Engineers
b. Ghana Institution of Architects
c. Institute of Chartered Accountants
d. Institute of Public Relations
• Joint consultative meetings, formal meetings at unit, sectional, departmental,
branch/local levels are held where staff have the opportunity to express their opinions.
• Staff durbars are organized for a two way interaction between management and staff.
• Staff have formal representations at various levels of meetings/consultations and
negotiations
Supplier Selection Criteria:
4. Eliminate all forms of
forced and compulsory
labour
The V.R.A. complies with the National Procurement Act and World Bank Procedures
•VRA does not use forced or compulsory labour in its operations
• VRA will not deal with any suppliers who uses forced and compulsory labour
5. The effective abolition
of child labour
• VRA does not employ child labour in its operations.
• VRA will not employ the services of suppliers who employ child labour
6. the elimination of
discrimination in
respect of employment
and occupation
• Areas for employment are opened to male and female as well as able and disabled.
Equal opportunity is given to potential applicants regardless of race, colour, gender etc.
There is no discrimination.
• The Volta River Authority respects the rights of employees.
• The staff conditions of service specifies grievance and disciplinary procedures, benefits
and welfare packages such as vacation break and medical care.
• There are also opportunities for self development.
• VRA has negotiated and documented conditions of service between management on
one side and junior staff and their mother union on the other. This is renegotiated every
two years.
NB: VRA does not base supplier selection on compliance with labour laws but may
include clause to that effect*
PRINCIPLE 7, 8 AND 9
ACTIONS AND PROCESSESS
ENVIRONMENT
7. Businesses should
support a precautionary
approach to
environmental
challenges
The Volta River Authority is committed to maintaining the highest standard of safety and
sustainability of the environment by undertaking the following:.
• Conduct environmental impact assessment studies for Environmental Protection
Agency and World Bank approval for all its power related projects.
8. Undertake initiatives to • Provides public education and guidelines for energy conservation to save the
promote greater
environment eg.VRA introduced the use of the CFL bulbs to the general public to
environmental
responsibility
replace the incandescent bulbs
9. Encourage the
development and
diffusion of
environmentally friendly
technologies
• VRA donated GHC500,000 to the Energy Foundation for demand side management
project program
• VRA subscribed to the Kyoto agreement to reduce Greenhouse emission.
PRINCIPLE 10
ANTI-CORRUPTION
10. Businesses should
work against
corruption in all its forms,
including extortion and
bribery.

Volta River Authority complies with the National and International procurement
laws. There is a well laid down procurement procedure which is compliant with
local and international standards. The under listed are notable in the procurement
process:

Competitive bidding

Open tender system

Due process for supplier selection

Public Tendering process
Financial Policy

There is an Accounting Manual to guide accounting procedures

VRA has an Internal Audit Department and External Auditors are Deloitte and
Touche.

In ensuring good governance, the Board of the Authority is appointed by
government to oversee the management and operations
Corporate Social
Sponsorship/Donations and Social Activity:
Responsibility
VRA Corporate Social Responsibility programs are largely incidental to its operations
Criteria for selection:


Impacted Communities

Resettlement Communities

National Assignment such as CAN 2008

Charities

VRA Trust Fund
V. R.A. supports organizations that train professionals. Examples are the Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and VRA collaboration in
students industrial attachment, reservation of hostels for medical students
conducting research and attachment at the Akosombo Hospital.
The Authority supports community initiatives: NCCE public education,
Mathematics / Science Workshops and the Girl Child Education, etc.

The Authority is now developing scholarship scheme for the impacted
communities and support Ghana Medical Students’ Association external training
programs

VRA supports social events like festivals and funerals in the impacted
communities

NB: Policy document is being finalized for publication.
Other Special Projects:

“Onipa Nua” provides free medical care for communities along the Volta Lake

Public Health Care and Education to communities along the Volta Lake

Sponsored Research programs into water borne diseases (Bilharzias) and
economic ventures

Dredging at Volta estuary at Ada to improve on salinity to check vector breeding

Support to Community Basic Schools, eg. exercise books project

Provision of custom-made model boat to communities along the Volta Lake for
adoption

Support for Public education for lake transport safety and the production of facility
such as docking bay and other technical assistance.

Financial obligation in support of communities towards the provision of potable
water by NGOs such as GTZ and World Vision International

Provision of community basic schools like Aboadze, Akosombo and Akuse.

Provision of health care facilities like hospitals and clinics in communities of
operation

The Volta River Authority supports both government and non - governmental
organizations such as Ghana Employers Association, Labour Department,
Professional institutions such as the Institute of Public Relations, Water
Resources Commission, Ghana Institution of Surveyors, Ghana Institution of
Engineers and others
Risk Management Plan:
The Authority has established the following:

Documented financial and operational policies and procedures. The internal
audit department also conducts periodic checks for compliance.

Safety gears, appropriate work kits and protective clothing are provided to staff
to minimize risk of injury

A hand book on safety. Weekly safety meetings, work area safety committees,
fire hydrants at work areas and regular drills are organized to ensure continues
education to staff
Safety Standards

VRA has Issued and maintains Corporate Safety Rule Book and Work
Protection Code
VRA allocates GHC………..for safety awareness day – week every year.

Set safety performance targets, monitor and report on safety performance and
rule compliance.

Provide safe exposure limits and develop safety rules using exposure limits

Recommend safety training programs and coordinate training

Recommend and facilitate the purchase of safety equipment and wares certified
by ISO standards
Corporate Values
•
VRA upholds the principle of integrity, transparency and honesty
•
The Authority does not support Religious and political activities.
In the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) disciplinary policy procedures are
clearly stated where punitive measures are spelt out for adherence.
Reference
• Documentation on all the above are found in the Authority’s annual report of 2008 and
staff collective agreement for 2008/2009 senior staff association agreement.
• The Human Resources Director and the Public Relations Department are responsible
for the initiation and implementation of these policies.