Labor consultant and governance expert, Austin Akufo Gamey, has justified the government’s recent revocation of public sector appointments made after December 7, 2024, asserting that the previous administration deliberately overloaded the system.
His remarks come in response to growing criticism from the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which has called on President John Dramani Mahama to halt the mass termination of public service employees.
Austin Gamey maintained that the former government’s last-minute appointments were politically motivated, leading to an unsustainable burden on the public sector.
According to him, the placement of personnel, particularly in urban centers, was imbalanced and contributed to inefficiencies within the system.
“There are some villages and towns that don’t even have one or two nurses, yet in Accra, you find a government hospital with a surplus of nurses, some with very little workload”
Austin Akufo Gamey, Labor Consultant and Governance Expert
He further suggested that human resource allocation should have been done strategically to ensure equitable distribution.
Beyond the healthcare sector, Gamey emphasized that the general public service was bloated, with positions created unnecessarily, in some cases, for political reasons.
“More so, some of them have been done deliberately for political reasons. I think that we have to be very careful. So it’s not about somebody writing a letter to protest”
Austin Akufo Gamey, Labor Consultant and Governance Expert
He asserted that he would reject any attempt to defend what he described as an unsustainable situation. In his view, no responsible government should employ people in large numbers while in transition without consulting the incoming administration.
“Why should they employ people after December 7th? They shouldn’t have been employed at all. They should have waited and, during the transitional conversation with the other team, laid before them what they intended to do”
Austin Akufo Gamey, Labor Consultant and Governance Expert
Drawing parallels with global governance practices, Gamey referenced a recent move by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who swiftly removed last-minute appointees from the previous administration.
He insisted that Ghana should not be an exception, emphasizing that political transitions should not be used as opportunities for mass recruitment.
TUC Raises Concerns Over Mass Terminations
Contrary to Gamey’s stance, the TUC has strongly opposed the government’s revocation of appointments, arguing that the directive by the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has led to unjust dismissals.
The labor union contends that some affected employees had undergone proper recruitment processes long before the December 7, 2024, cut-off date, yet their appointments have been revoked indiscriminately.
The union described the Chief of Staff’s directive as “problematic” and susceptible to abuse.
According to the TUC, successive governments, both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have engaged in similar last-minute appointments, only to have them reversed by incoming administrations, a practice that has bred inconsistency and political tension.
They recalled that in 2016, then-President John Mahama defended his decision to appoint new Commissioners for CHRAJ and NCCE, as well as a new Auditor General, even after losing the elections.
The NPP, at the time, vehemently opposed these appointments, labeling them as bad faith. However, the TUC noted that the same NPP government, has taken similar actions, reversing appointments by the outgoing administration.
The TUC has urged President Mahama to reconsider the terminations and instead grant the affected employees amnesty, similar to what was done for security recruits who had already begun their training.
The union warned that mass dismissals could have devastating effects on young professionals entering the job market for the first time.
Gamey’s Resolve
Despite the widespread debate, Austin Gamey remains firm in his position that the government’s decision to revoke the appointments is both necessary and justified.
According to him, the move ensures good governance, prevents administrative lapses, and aligns recruitment processes with national interests.
“This decision is both candid and proactive, demonstrating a commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance in public service administration,” he said.
While acknowledging the concerns raised by the TUC, he maintained that striking a balance between policy continuity and employment rights is crucial for institutional stability.
He reiterated that political transitions should not be an avenue for hurried employment, as this undermines due process and places undue pressure on the national budget. “No government does that in any country,” he emphasized.
The controversy surrounding these terminations has reignited discussions about the sustainability of Ghana’s public sector employment policies.
With each change in government, issues of recruitment and termination have become a recurring theme, often leading to political polarization.
As the government defends its decision while the TUC pushes back against the revocations, the debate over last-minute appointments remains unresolved.
Whether the current administration will heed the calls for amnesty or stick to its stance remains to be seen.
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