Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has dismissed claims that President John Mahama is terminating appointments of employees hired under the previous administration.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday, February 28, he responded to comments made by the Minority Leader after the State of the Nation Address (SONA), and described the claims as deliberate distortions and propaganda.
“President Mahama is not sacking everybody employed under the last administration. That is not what is happening. If you were employed before the transition, you are fine,” he stated.
Citing his own ministry as an example, Ablakwa explained that he had reviewed employment records and confirmed that financial clearance was granted as far back as July by the Finance Ministry, with budget allocations made to hire additional staff that year.
He said although some employees received their appointment letters in November and December, the recruitment process had started much earlier.
[embedded content]“At the Foreign Ministry, I have explained to the President that what we have seen is that the process started much earlier, so not a single person at the Foreign Ministry is being dismissed,” he said.
He added that other ministries had also conducted similar assessments and confirmed that where due process was followed, employees were not being let go. However, he emphasised that the real concern was “malicious recruitments” made after the elections, which every government would take issue with.
Ablakwa urged future administrations to recruit at the right time, rather than delaying recruitment until after losing an election and creating a fiscal burden for the incoming government.
“I think that what we can learn from this is that when we are in power and there is space and we know we can employ people, let us employ them and let’s not wait and keep them unemployed until you loose and election and you want to create fiscal burden for your opponent,” he said.
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