President John Dramani Mahama has been urged by the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) to revoke the appointment of the new Registrar of the Births and Deaths Registry.
According to the Association, Mr. Samuel Adom Botchway’s nomination as Registrar went against a 2017 Supreme Court decision on the Civil and Local Government Service’s neutrality, which forbade politicians from interfering with the operation of the agency.
Kojo Krakani, the Deputy Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, said the hiring of individuals who were known political party participants would compromise the impartiality of the agency during a statement given at a durbar held at the Birth and Death Registry in Accra on Friday.
“Samuel Adom Botchway is a known activist of the National Democratic Congress and was once the District Chief Executive for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Assembly in the Central Region,” he said.
He called on the President to revoke the appointment “as a matter of urgency” adding that “the negative impact of the appointment of political apparatchiks in the service cannot be underestimated.
The CLOSAG leadership said it would direct its members to lay down their tools if their appeal was not heeded to.
“We encourage you to safeguard the Civil Service and Local Government Service and protect it religiously by resisting infiltration by politicians.” Kakrani said.
Article 195 of the 1992 Constitution, and Section two of Registration of Birth and Death ACT 2020 (Act 1027), requires that the President appoints a Registrar of Births and Deaths.
The daily management of the Registry and the upkeep of the national birth, fetal, and death registers are among the responsibilities of the Registrar.
CLOGSAG threatens strike over appointment of Births & Deaths Registrar. The union has vowed to withdraw services if Samuel Adom Botchway takes office.#JoyNews pic.twitter.com/ClGPcrj5EU
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) February 7, 2025
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