Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State for Government Communication, has accused the previous Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration of bypassing due process in making last-minute public service appointments.
According to him, a thorough review of the appointment process revealed multiple irregularities, with many of those appointed in the final days of the administration failing to submit formal application letters to the institutions where they were employed.
He further alleged that some individuals were recruited without undergoing interviews to assess their suitability, while others did not complete the required medical examinations.
These findings, he said, raise serious concerns about the legality of the appointments and their financial burden on the current government.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on February 11, Kwakye Ofosu recalled that he had, on December 17, warned on behalf of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) transition team that such appointments would be revoked once the new government assumed office.
He reiterated that the government cannot allow individuals to be recruited into the public and civil service without following due process.
His comments come in response to questions about why Chief of Staff Julius Debrah revoked all public service appointments and recruitments made after December 7, 2024. A confidential letter, seen by Citi News, has been circulated to all heads of government institutions, instructing them to comply with the directive.
“Some government agencies, ministries, and institutions were feverishly employing people in the dying embers of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government. We expressed concern about this because we knew it was going to have an impact on our fiscal position, especially at a time when the country was struggling.
“We have looked into the matter and found that due process was bypassed in the appointments that were made. Some didn’t put in any application at all, others didn’t go through interviews, and some who should have gone through medical examinations didn’t go through.
“In some cases, the appointment letters were backdated, except that when you look into the payroll, you will not find that they have received any payment at all since they were employed. To that extent, we deem them unlawful and illegal. And as a government, we cannot afford a situation where people are illegally recruited into the public and civil service without due process,” he stated.
