CLOGSAG Warns Gov’t To Stop Interfering With Civil Service Structure

The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has raised concerns over what it calls government’s interference in the structure of the Civil Service.

CLOGSAG complained about breaches of employee privacy, audit-related infractions and the culture of recruiting special assistants, among others.

The Association has given the government a two-week ultimatum to recall all civil servants compelled to proceed on leave in favour of hired special assistants.

CLOGSAG made specific mention of the Ministry of Finance and its Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, on the issue of recruiting outsiders to play critical roles in the ministry.

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Monday, the Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, Dr Isaac Paul Bampoe Addo said “these issues border on the excessive use of political power to obstruct laid down procedures and processes in appointments and administrative matters.”

“There are situations where some ministers have assumed administrative responsibilities and signed letters to civil servants for them to proceed on leave. Where some of these civil servants were deemed lucky, they were side-lined by special assistants of these ministers to encumber their positions.”

He also noted that some of the Ministers appointed internal auditors in a “clear violation of procedures in the civil service.”

Beyond this, Dr Bampoe said lapses from these “non-career civil servants” were blamed on the true civil servants.

Thus, he stated that “to forestall these developments, the affected ministers should be called to order, especially the Ministry of Finance, who has recruited staff from outside the civil service to head various divisions within the Ministry of Finance.”

On the breaches of privacy, CLOGSAG said the “wanton consultancies to private entities” were the cause of this.

“Through such consultancies, private individuals and companies have gotten access to confidential information on workers within the civil service. Now, it is a common phenomenon from our members to receive telephone calls from some companies or enterprises,” Dr Bampoe remarked.