The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called out President John Dramani Mahama over the revocation of all public sector recruitments done by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government after December 7, 2024.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, February 13, 2025, the National Organiser of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), accused Mahama and his Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, who issued the directive, of being hypocritical.
According to him, President Mahama, through a directive issued by the same Julius Debrah, issued appointment letters to several people after he lost the 2016 election.
He went ahead to list some of the appointments Mahama made as follows:
“On December 19, 2016, when the NDC lost, I recall the former President Mahama then, now President Mahama, through the same Chief of Staff, made key appointments. In fact, on December 16, 2016, that was when they appointed the former Auditor-General, Mr. Domelevo, who is part of the discredited ORAL.
“Key appointments were made: Mr. Joseph Whittall, Ms. Josephine Nkrumah, and Mr. Daniel Domelevo to lead CHRAG, the National Commission for Civic Education, and the Office of the Auditor-General, respectively,” he said.
He added that Mahama, when he was leaving office, increased the allowance given to National Service Personnel by about 50 percent.
“On December 20, 2016, President Mahama, through the finance ministry, also increased the National Service allowance from GH¢350 to GH¢549, effective January 2017,” he added.
The NPP National Organiser said that former President Akufo-Addo, after he took over from Mahama in 2017, did not revoke the appointments made.
“The NPP government under President Akufo-Addo did not cancel these appointments. We honoured them. Likewise, we did not dismiss John Mahama’s last-minute appointments or last-minute increase to the National Service allowance. We honoured all of this. This is how democratic governance should function.
“Therefore, President Mahama cannot revoke these recruitments. Just as President Akufo-Addo took responsibility for Mahama’s last-minute appointments in 2016, he must also take responsibility for the appointments made legitimately, whatever date within 2024,” he further said.
He continued to state that, “Now, because this directive lacked basis and was not well grounded in law, you realise that there have been a lot of abuses.”
About the revocation of appointments
Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, revoked all public service appointments and recruitments made after December 7, 2024.
According to a letter issued on February 10 and sent to all heads of government institutions, the Chief of Staff directed that all such appointments and recruitments be revoked.
“Consistent with government procurement in relation to near end-of-tenure appointments and recruitments, I wish to bring to your attention that all appointments and recruitments made in the Public Services of Ghana after December 7, 2024, are not in compliance with established good governance practices and principles.
“Accordingly, all Heads of Government Institutions are hereby requested to take the necessary steps to annul any such appointments or recruitments and submit a comprehensive report on the actions taken to this Office by February 11, 2025,” the letter said.
BAI/AE
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