20th February 2025 11:31:52 AM
3 mins readMinister of Communications and spokesperson for President John Mahama, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has assured individuals affected by the cancellation of post-election appointments that new opportunities will arise.Speaking to the media at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, the Minister announced that the government would soon roll out a fresh phase of public sector hiring.
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“In due course, the government will recruit, and it will be open to all Ghanaians irrespective of political affiliations. Indeed, your party identity will not be required. You will not be asked to show whether you are NPP or NDC. So even those whose employment has been revoked will still have the opportunity to reapply,” he stated.Also, the Minister defended the Mahama administration’s move to revoke appointments made after December 7, citing the need for accountability and adherence to due process.“The NPP lost the elections and was on its way out, yet recruitment was done in a manner that was unfair to others who did not belong to the party. This decision was taken not because of perception or belief, but because we know that the recruitment processes were tainted by irregularities,” he explained.
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He asserted that the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s appointments were saddled with serious irregularities, necessitating their cancellation.
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He highlighted issues such as backdated appointment letters, the absence of interviews, and a lack of formal application submissions as key concerns.“There were instances where people were given backdated letters. Some did not go through interviews, while others did not even submit an application expressing interest in the position. These are clear irregularities that cannot be allowed to stand,” Kwakye Ofosu stated.
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On February 11, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah instructed government agency heads to nullify all appointments made after December 7, 2024, citing procedural irregularities.
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The directive also required agencies to submit operational reports by February 17, 2025.
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As John Mahama prepared to assume office, concerns arose over last-minute personnel appointments and financial commitments made by the outgoing administration.
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Defending its actions, the previous government maintained that all recruitments and payments had received the necessary statutory approvals and were not unlawful.
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It stated, "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."
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However, Mr Kwakye Ofosu clarified that the revocation of these appointments was aimed at ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining transparency within the public sector. All affected institutions were ordered to comply and submit a comprehensive report by February 17.
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Meanwhile, the NPP’s National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, has initiated legal action against the government for the mass revocation of appointments.
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Citing Article 191(b) of the 1992 Constitution, Mr Boakye contends that public sector employees are protected from arbitrary dismissals and that the terminations were carried out without due process. He insists that neither the Chief of Staff nor the President has the legal power to unilaterally revoke appointments.
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In his petition to the Supreme Court on February 18, Mr Boakye seeks to have the government’s directive overturned, an injunction placed on its enforcement, and a ruling affirming job security for public sector workers.
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Additionally, he is requesting that the government cover the legal costs of the case.The Attorney General, listed as the respondent in the suit, has 14 days from the date of notification to submit a formal response.
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