Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has commented on the Bank of Ghana’s (BoG) recent move to reinstate nearly 100 previously dismissed employees, describing the decision as an act of goodwill by the central bank rather than merely a response to political pressure.
According to him, although members of the Minority in Parliament had publicly criticized the terminations, their influence alone would not have been sufficient to force a reversal.
Kpebu acknowledged the political undertones of the situation but argued that “on the balance, it’s largely as a result of the Bank of Ghana’s magnanimity.”
He noted that opposition-led pressure, such as press conferences and parliamentary calls, often has limits in Ghana’s political environment, especially given the current parliamentary dynamics where the Minority lacks the numbers to enforce drastic institutional change.
“It shows that the governor is a listening governor. He’s more humane than they [the NPP] were in previous times. I’m not seeking to equalize, but I know this thing didn’t start today. It’s always been there.
“And because our systems are weak, even if there is evidence, you are not likely to get it to prove that the Bank of Ghana did anything wrong. Because from the bank’s own response, they said these persons didn’t pass their rigorous assessments.”
Martin Kpebu
Despite this, he applauded the BoG’s willingness to give the individuals another opportunity.
He emphasized that passing university-level qualifications should suggest a certain baseline competence, implying that flaws in the initial assessment process could have contributed to the terminations.
Accordingly, Kpebu highlighted the importance of context in any evaluation. He argued that an entry-level assessment in a financial institution should not be more difficult than the academic hurdles the employees had already overcome. “So, I will say that the bank has been very humane. It’s good. It’s commendable.”
Kpebu also responded to concerns that the terminations might have been politically motivated rather than based purely on performance.
He maintained that even if this were the case, it would still reflect positively on the current leadership for reversing the decision. In his words, “Yes, if they did, I would even say the Governor has been double humane.”
BoG Reinstatement Fuels Call For Public Recruitment Reform
Adding a broader policy critique, Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, described the recurring trend of political dismissals and appointments as a deeply worrying issue.
He pointed to the transitional period in 2017, where several appointees of the outgoing administration were abruptly removed, as a warning sign that partisan politics continues to dictate human resource decisions in Ghana’s public sector.
Cudjoe emphasized the need for systemic reform, stating that “this is a practical thing that we need to stop. I don’t think it helps us at all.”
“I’m aware, and I have strict evidence to show that some of these persons who were appointed or recruited [to BoG] were below par. They just dumped all of them there. An administration [the NPP] that was in its twilight days shouldn’t be doing such things.”
Franklin Cudjoe
Instead of simply celebrating the Bank of Ghana for reversing the dismissals, Cudjoe challenged Ghanaians to demand a more transparent and accountable system of recruitment into the public sector.
He expressed frustration over the lack of public access to recruitment data, performance metrics, and the actual workload carried by many public employees. “We should know exactly how these people are performing,” he insisted.
Cudjoe cited the Ghana Revenue Authority and Ghana Gas as examples of institutions plagued by staffing opacity.
In particular, he questioned how Ghana Gas could justify employing over 1,200 people. “Why? Are they also producing gas themselves?”
This overstaffing, he argued, contributes to bloated wage bills and inefficiency, and it reflects a culture of unchecked political patronage.
He further criticized the informal nature of many public appointments, where individuals allegedly secure roles through personal connections rather than formal processes.
To counter these challenges, Cudjoe called for a policy shift that includes making recruitment criteria public, publishing productivity data, and introducing rigorous, impartial hiring practices.
He referenced countries like Singapore and Botswana as examples of nations that have successfully maintained a merit-based public service structure.
“So, let us know exactly what’s happening. How many people should work at GRA? How many people should work at Ghana Gas? How many people should work at BoG? We should know.”
Franklin Cudjoe
As the conversation surrounding the Bank of Ghana’s reinstatement of dismissed staff members continues to unfold, it has sparked a wider reckoning with the way Ghana’s institutions recruit, assess, and retain personnel.
With increasing public demand for accountability and fairness, the pressure is now on leadership across all sectors to uphold principles of transparency and meritocracy—beyond temporary reversals.
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