Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has defended the decision taken by the Mahama-led government to terminate appointments made by the then administration after December 7.Addressing the media on Wednesday, the Minister indicated that the appointments made by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were barred with irregularities beyond control, hence the reason for the termination.

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He cited back-dated letters, lack of interviews and no submission of application letters as some of the irregularities.

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"The way that the recruitment was done showed clearly that there was certain efforts to railroad party supporters into the civil and public service just because elections had been conducted, the NPP had lost and they were leaving. That was done in a manner that was unfair to others that didn't belong to the NPP."

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"We know the recruitment processes were attended by irregularities. In some instances, there were people who were given back-dated letters to create the impression that they had long been employed before the elections when that was not the case. There were some who didn't go through interview, some who didn't even submit an application letter expressing interest in the position. These are clear irregularities," he said.According to him, the current government on several occasions had called for an engagement with the opposition NPP regarding the matter yet the latter never honored their invitation. "We had asked for some dialogue and engagement between our side and the outgoing government side to have an understanding of what exactly is happening. We also thought that because a new government was coming in it was important that certain decisions are reserved for them to pay. "While it is true that the tenure of the previous government ended on 6th January, it is also true that the incoming government that was going to bare the brunt in terms of remuneration and finding the money to pay these people. So surely they must have a say in how this is done. We requested for meetings, explanations, we asked them to hold on pending some consultation on the matter they rebuffed it and said that they have the power to do so.

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As John Mahama prepared to take office, questions emerged regarding the outgoing administration’s final-hour personnel changes and financial commitments.

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Defending its actions, the previous government asserted that "these recruitment processes and payments have received the relevant statutory approvals and have not been proven to be illegal. It was decided that any specific allegation of illegality about any particular payment or recruitment should be brought to the attention of the Transition Team for a decision to be made."But the of Minster of Government Communications has noted that the NPP's appointments were largely composed of party members, as they were approaching the end of their tenure.In response, the Minister clarified that the withdrawal of appointment is intended to facilitate a smooth transition and uphold transparency in the public sector.A directive from Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has ordered heads of government institutions to revoke all appointments and recruitments made after December 7, 2024.

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The statement emphasized: “In line with the government’s stance on end-of-tenure appointments and recruitments, please be informed that any such decisions taken within the Public Services of Ghana after December 7, 2024, do not align with established principles of good governance.”

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Institutions have been instructed to comply with the directive and submit a detailed report by February 17, 2025, outlining the actions taken.

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Meanwhile, the National Organiser of the NPP, has initiated legal proceedings regarding the matter.

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According to him, the directive issued by the Chief of Staff on February 10, 2025, exceeds legal authority and contradicts constitutional provisions.

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Referencing Article 191(b) of the 1992 Constitution, Boakye argues that public service employees are protected from arbitrary dismissal and that the terminations were executed without proper legal procedures.

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He insists that the Chief of Staff and the President lack the legal power to revoke appointments unilaterally.

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In his petition to the Supreme Court, Boakye is seeking a ruling to nullify the directive, an injunction to prevent its enforcement, and confirmation of employment security for public sector workers. Additionally, he is requesting the government to bear the costs of the legal proceedings.

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The Attorney General, who has been named as the respondent, has 14 days from the date of notification to submit a response.

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