The Mahama administration has revoked 541 public sector recruitments, appointments, and promotions made during the final days of the Akufo-Addo government, following a review by a presidential committee established to assess hiring activities after the December 7, 2024 general elections.
Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu announced the decision at a press briefing on Tuesday, describing the exercise as a due process measure rather than a politically motivated purge.
The controversy stems from a wave of public sector appointments made during the transition period between the December 2024 election which the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost and the January 7, 2025 inauguration of the new administration. Critics had accused the outgoing government of rushing last-minute appointments during the lame-duck period.
According to the government, a request for a joint review of the appointments during the transition was ignored by the outgoing administration. Upon assuming office, the Chief of Staff issued a directive ordering institutions to revoke appointments made after December 7, prompting both compliance and criticism.
To address concerns about legitimate hires, a presidential committee was tasked with reviewing the cases institution by institution. Of the 36 institutions that appeared before the committee, 28 had initiated recruitment processes before the elections.
In total, 2,080 recruitments, appointments, and promotions were reviewed. Institutions had already revoked 879 appointments following the initial directive, while 1,201 cases remained pending the committee’s recommendations.
The committee ultimately recommended that 1,539 appointments be upheld, having met procedural requirements and received approval before December 7, achieving a compliance threshold of at least 80 percent. However, 541 cases were recommended for revocation, having concluded after the election date and failing to meet established standards.
Kwakye Ofosu noted that the number of revocations recommended was lower than the 879 initially cancelled, citing clemency extended to vulnerable individuals, particularly persons with disabilities within the Ghana Education Service. Affected individuals were allowed to regularise their recruitment processes to avoid undue hardship.
He criticised the previous administration for proceeding with appointments despite alleged procedural shortcomings but maintained that the review process was conducted “without malice or ill-feeling,” describing it as a necessary step to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability in public service recruitment.