Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Samuel Awuku, has strongly condemned the government’s directive to annul all public sector appointments made after December 7, 2024, describing it as a “dangerous precedent” that threatens the future of Ghanaian youth.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, Samuel Awuku urged President Mahama to reverse the decision, arguing that it violates the rights of affected individuals and undermines principles of good governance.
“The future of Ghanaian youth is at stake in your latest directive. Ghanaians who received appointments after December 7, 2024, are not second-class citizens. They have a right to work, just like everyone else,” he wrote.
His concerns follow a letter from Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to heads of government institutions, ordering the revocation of all public sector appointments made after the December 7 elections. The directive has sparked controversy, with critics accusing the government of political bias.
Government, however, has defended the revocation of appointments, insisting that it is aimed at ensuring transparency, accountability, and a merit-based recruitment process.
But Samuel Awuku recalled that in January 2017, when the then-incoming Akufo-Addo administration was advised by senior minister-designate Yaw Osafo-Maafo to revoke last-minute appointments by the Mahama administration, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) rejected the idea as unconstitutional. He questioned why a similar standard was not being upheld now.
“In line with that, the Akufo-Addo government did not revoke the appointments of CHRAJ, the Auditor-General, or the NCCE heads, all because we believed in continuity and respect for due process. Why is that principle being abandoned now?” he asked.
Mr. Awuku further argued that many of the appointments in question were part of a recruitment process initiated long before the elections and should not be dismissed simply because they were finalised after December 7.
“Recruitment is a process, not an event. Are we now saying that employment of public servants in Ghana is coterminous with the life of a specific government which employed them? This definitely cannot be the case!” he asserted.
He warned that allowing the directive to stand would send a troubling message to young Ghanaians, suggesting that their job security depends more on political affiliations than on merit. He called for a governance approach that prioritises national interest over partisanship.
“Modern-day governance should not be about punishing perceived political opponents. We must rise above partisanship in our quest to create employment opportunities for all and put the country first,” Mr. Awuku stated.
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