Civil servants deny support for Alhaji Jawula

The Civil Servants Association (CSA) has dissociated itself from purported support for the conduct of Lepo-Wura Alhaji Mohammed Nuru Deen Jawula, Chief Director of Ministry of Health for adorning the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) regalia at the Kasoa rally.

The association in a statement to the media signed by Mr Robertson Nii Akwei Allotey, CSA President said, “the CSA completely dissociates itself from the statement issued by its Deputy Executive Secretary, Mr Kojo Krakani in respect of support to the political aspirations of Alhaji Jawula.”

The CSA President said the association is an apolitical association and does not dabble in issues relating to national politics and political parties.

The association therefore renders its unqualified apology to Mr Joe Issachar, Head of Civil Service and the Dr E. M. Debrah Chairman of the Governing Council for the embarrassment which Mr Krakani's unauthorised statement has caused them personally and their office.

In reaction to the controversy stirred by Alhaji Jawula's appearance and formal introduction at the rally, Mr. Issachar issued a one-week ultimatum for him to resign or the Civil Service Governing Council (CSGC) would take "appropriate action" against him.

Mr Issachar had explained in the directive that the code of conduct for civil servants, as well as the 1992 Constitution, frowned on active engagement in party politics by civil servants and added that, Alhaji Jawula's action was a flagrant disregard of the rules.

He said civil servants were expected to provide impartial, objective and professional advice to successive governments and that once an official displayed affiliation to a particular party, he was deemed to have lost that impartiality, objectivity, professionalism and neutrality.

"As soon as you start developing deep roots for a political party, you cannot remain in the Service," he said.

On the contrary, Mr Krakani, in a statement on July 22 described the call by the head of the civil service, Mr Issachar for Alhaji Jawula's resignation as an infringement on his fundamental human rights.

He said the 1992 Constitution does not debar civil servants from engaging in active politics, "it is therefore an infringement on the fundamental human rights of the civil servant by limiting him only to the polling booth as an expression of his political right and opinion."

Mr Krakani stressed that: "the civil servant is a Ghanaian first and foremost, hence should not be discriminated against in all spheres of endeavour including participating in active politics once these are in the best interest of Ghanaians."

He said the constitution of Ghana is supreme above all other laws including the code of ethics of the Civil Service and called for a review of the civil services code to conform with the constitution.