The Trades Union Congress (TUC) of Ghana has chastised the government’s decision to terminate all public sector recruitments made after December 7, 2024.
According to the union, the move is unfair and harmful to young professionals.
The directive, issued by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah on February 10, 2025, instructed all heads of government institutions to annul appointments made after the stated date, arguing that such recruitments were not in line with good governance practices.
However, the TUC in its statement signed by the General Secretary, Joshua Ansah, raised concerns over the mass termination of workers, including those who had been on contract for several years before their appointments were regularized in December 2024.
The union described the move as heartbreaking and a serious threat to job security, particularly for young professionals entering the workforce for the first time.
“We find the directive by the Chief of Staff very problematic, to say the least. Not only is his directive open to abuse but we find it extremely difficult to understand how the Government could describe all appointments or recruitments made after December 7, 2024, as not in compliance with good governance practices and principles.
“The issue of midnight appointments/recruitments has been a recurring practice that has alternated between the NDC and NPP. Statements from both the NPP and NDC on this matter demonstrate their insincerity and inconsistency in their pronouncements and policies,” part of the TUC statement read.
The union called on President John Dramani Mahama to halt the mass terminations, arguing that revoking the appointments of teachers, nurses, and other professionals who have already struggled to secure employment could have devastating socio-economic consequences.
The TUC urged the president to follow the same amnesty approach granted to security agency recruits and extend it to all affected public sector employees.
“The TUC calls on H.E. John Dramani Mahama to stop the ongoing terminations of appointments in the Public Service. The mass termination of employment of teachers, nurses, and others, who have been educated at great cost to their families and the nation and who may have stayed at home for years struggling to obtain employment can be devastating for these young men and women. It is a blot on our democratic credentials. It can also completely sap the patriotism of these young men and women,” the congress added.
Read full statement of TUC:
On February 10, 2025, the Chief of Staff, Hon. Julius Debrah issued a letter to “All Heads of Government Institutions” under the caption “Revocation of Appointments and Recruitments made after 7th December 2024”.
In the said letter the Chief of Staff stated that “…all appointments and recruitments made in the Public Services of Ghana after 7th December, 2024 are not in compliance with established good governance practices and principles.
On the basis of this, the Chief of Staff, proceeded to ask Heads of Government Institutions “to take necessary steps to annul any such appointments or recruitments…”.
Following the directive, we have received reports of mass revocation of appointments including appointments that were done before December 7, 2024. In some of the organisations people who have been on contract for 5 years or more and whose appointments were only regularised in December, 2024 have been terminated losing even their contract status.
This must be heart-breaking for these young men and women who are likely to be entering the labour market for the first time.
The TUC has closely monitored the spirited public discourse on the appropriateness or otherwise of the directive.
We find the directive by the Chief of Staff very problematic, to say the least. Not only is his directive open to abuse but we find it extremely difficult to understand how Government could describe all appointments or recruitments made after 7th December, 2024 as not in compliance with good governance practices and principles.
The issue of midnight appointments/recruitments has been a recurring practice that has alternated between the NDC and NPP. Statements from both the NPP and NDC on this matter clearly demonstrate their insincerity and inconsistency in their pronouncements and policies.
In 2016, when H.E. John Dramani Mahama met with the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference after the elections he insisted that he remained the President and was responsible for steering the affairs of the country until he officially hands over power on January 7, 2017.
He appointed new Commissioners for CHRAJ and NCCE and a new Auditor General. He even increased allowances for National Service Personnel.
The NPP vehemently protested and condemned these actions by President Mahama. In a statement on December 21, 2016, the Head of NPPs Transition Team, Yaw Osafo Marfo described Mahama’s appointments as “most disappointing and exhibits bad faith”.
Today, the NPP has done exactly what it strongly condemned in 2016. The NDC is not only condemning what the NPP has done but it is taking measures that are leading to the termination of thousands of employments of mostly young Ghanaians, some of whom have gone through the appropriate recruitment processes to secure their first jobs.
The TUC calls on H.E. John Dramani Mahama to stop the on-going terminations of appointments in the Public Service. The mass termination of employment of teachers, nurses and others, who have been educated at great cost to their families and the nation and who may have stayed at home for years struggling to obtain employment can be devastating for these young men and women.
It is a blot on our democratic credentials. It can also completely sap the patriotism of these young men and women.
We expect President Mahama, to stop the country from sliding further down the partisan slippery hill. Just like the amnesty the President has granted to individuals who were recruited by the previous administration and who are currently undergoing training with the various security agencies, we urge the President to grant all appointments done by the previous administration similar amnesty.
This will be the greatest political settlement of the 4th Republic. It will ripple in eternity and reset the politics of Ghana.
[SIGNED]
JOSHUA ANSAH
SECRETARY GENERAL
