A government committee set up to probe last-minute recruitments, appointments, and promotions made during the transition period after the December 7, 2024 elections has recommended the revocation of 541 appointments while upholding 1,539 others.
The findings were disclosed yesterday by Presidential Spokesperson and Minister of State for Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, at the Government Accountability Series press conference at the Presidency.
Procedures Determine Outcomes
Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu said the committee reviewed 2,080 appointments and promotions submitted by 36 institutions. Of these, 1,539 cases were validated because they complied with recruitment rules and received appointment letters before December 7, 2024, meeting the committee’s required 80 per cent compliance threshold.
The remaining 541 appointments, he said, were recommended for revocation because the recruitment processes concluded after December 7, 2024, and failed to satisfy the regulatory framework.
Interestingly, Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu noted that the number of revocations recommended by the committee (541) was lower than the 879 appointments voluntarily revoked by the institutions themselves. “This is because the committee paid special attention to vulnerable groups, including Persons with Disabilities, particularly within the Ghana Education Service,” he said.
No Political Motive, Just Accountability
The Minister of State for Communications stressed that the exercise was strictly procedural. “These revocations were necessary to uphold due process and compliance with public service regulations. This is not a witch-hunt and carries no political motive,” he said.
Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu added that the previous administration under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo sanctioned irregular appointments despite knowing that due process had not been followed. “They ignored our requests for consultation, leaving the incoming government no choice but to conduct this review,” he stated.
Of the 36 institutions reviewed, 28 had started recruitment before the December 7 directive. Nineteen institutions complied fully by revoking affected appointments, while 17 sought guidance from the Office of the President instead of immediate revocation.
The Minister of State for Communications noted that 16 of the cases were largely payroll-related. Overall, 879 appointments were revoked by institutions, while 1,201 remained unaffected.
Background to the Review
At the first meeting of the Joint Transition Team on December 17, 2024, the incoming government raised concerns about rushed and unlawful recruitments and substantial payments to contractors. The outgoing government reportedly ignored agreements to submit ongoing appointments, promotions, and payments for review.
In response, the incoming administration announced its intention to revoke unlawful appointments and subject all cases to investigation. On February 10, 2025, the Chief of Staff directed that appointments made unlawfully after December 7, 2024 be revoked.
To prevent innocent persons from being unfairly affected, a special committee was established to investigate all cases, assess compliance and make recommendations.
Committee Members
The committee was chaired by Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency.
Other members included Dr Prince Edward Darah, Commissioner, Public Service Commission; Madam Roda Gavor, Director of Human Resources, Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment; Mr Bernard Adjei, Representative of Organised Labour; Mr C.W. Ayiku, Secretary, Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the President
The committee’s recommendations have now been published, bringing closure to one of the most closely monitored post-election public service reviews.
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