The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced the immediate revocation of all recent recruitments of teaching and non-teaching staff who have not yet been placed on the government payroll.
This decision, outlined in an official letter dated Monday (17 February 2025), follows a directive from the Office of the President and the Chief of Staff.
According to the letter, signed by Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, Acting Director-General of GES, the revocation affects all newly recruited staff who have yet to be processed into the payroll system. The directive mandates that all Regional, District, Municipal, and Metropolitan Directors of Education strictly comply with this decision.
The move is seen as a significant step by the government, after accusing the outgone NPP govt of bad faith in recruiting public servants after Dec 7, 2024.
Last week the Ghana Health Service in a letter dated 12 February 2025, issued a similar directive.
The GES letter does not specify whether the affected individuals will have an opportunity for reconsideration in the future, but it assures that further directives will be communicated as necessary.
The revocation of these appointments raises concerns about the impact on Ghana’s education system, particularly in areas experiencing teacher shortages. Many recruits who had anticipated employment may now face uncertainty regarding their professional future.
While the letter does not provide details on the reasons behind this directive, stakeholders, including education unions and affected personnel, are expected to seek clarity from the government.
Some labour unions have threatened industrial actions, protests and strikes if the directive by the Chief of Staff at the Presidency does not address the consequent redundancies.
Meanwhile, Henry Nana Boakye, the National Organiser of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has filed a lawsuit challenging the unlawful termination of public sector appointments for individuals employed both before and after 7 December.
Boakye is contesting a directive issued by the Chief of Staff on 10 February, which he argues is unconstitutional and exceeds the authority of the office.
He maintains that the directive violates Article 191(b) of the 1992 Constitution, which protects public service employees from dismissal without just cause. He asserts that neither the Chief of Staff nor the President has the legal power to arbitrarily revoke appointments that were made following the law.
In his legal action, Boakye is seeking a declaration from the Supreme Court that the directive is null and void. He is also requesting an order to prevent government institutions from enforcing the directive and to affirm that the President must adhere to constitutional protections for public sector employees.
Additionally, Boakye is requesting an order to cover legal costs.
The Attorney General, named as the defendant in the lawsuit, has 14 days from the date of service to file a response.
Story by: Isaac Clottey
