NDC will rationalise public service, remove partisanship to make it fit for purpose - Mr. Benjamin Quashie

Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie, Chair of the South African Council of Elders for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has defended the party’s decision to revoke public service appointments made after the elections.

He argued that Ghana’s Public Service must operate independently and professionally, free from political influence.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, February 24, 2025, during a panel discussion on "Revocation of Appointments: Counting the Political and Socioeconomic Cost," Quashie supported the actions taken by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah. He maintained that the revocations were necessary to sanitize the system and prevent politically motivated appointments from undermining the efficiency of the Public Service.

"The Public Service must always function independently and professionally; it should break free from political interference," he stated.

Quashie emphasized that the government’s current actions are aimed at ensuring that only qualified and competent individuals are employed in the public sector. He insisted that many of the revoked appointments were politically driven rather than merit-based, pointing to their timing after December 7 as evidence of rushed decisions designed to burden the incoming administration. This, he argued, gave the government the right to review and nullify last-minute appointments that did not follow due process.

As part of his justification, Quashie referenced the recent National Service Scheme (NSS) scandal, which exposed widespread corruption in public sector recruitment. He viewed this as a compelling reason to clean up the system by removing individuals who benefitted from fraudulent and politically motivated appointments. He stressed that such actions were essential to reinforcing accountability and transparency in public institutions.

"The era in which the Public Service is used to reward political individuals or followers must cease forthwith," he asserted, adding that public institutions should serve the interests of all Ghanaians rather than a select few.

To promote fairness, Quashie urged the government to ensure that employment opportunities are accessible to all qualified Ghanaians, rather than being reserved for individuals aligned with a particular political party. He emphasized the need for transparent hiring processes to prevent deserving candidates from being sidelined in favor of last-minute political appointees.

Expressing concerns over the stance taken by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Quashie pointed out that the NPP had undertaken similar reviews and dismissals of politically motivated appointments when it was in power. He argued that public sector hiring must follow established procedures and budgetary approvals, and appointments made without these considerations should be deemed void.

To further justify the government’s stance, Quashie highlighted that Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh had assured the public that the 15,200 nurses recruited between June and August 2024 would not lose their jobs. This, he said, demonstrated that the revocations were based on procedural lapses rather than a blanket dismissal of all recent hires.

The NDC government, he reiterated, remains committed to transparency and accountability by protecting public institutions from political exploitation and ensuring that employment decisions are made in the national interest.

Conversely, he affirmed, "Anybody recruited after December 7, rather unfortunately, we would review those appointments."

As President John Dramani Mahama prepares to deliver his first State of the Nation Address since his swearing-in, Ghanaians are eagerly awaiting his stance on pressing issues such as the revocation of appointments, especially in light of the country’s high youth unemployment rate. Many are keen to see what strategies his government will implement to create sustainable job opportunities for the youth.