The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has beat a retreat over the government directive that revoked all appointments after December 7, 2024.

It may be recalled that last week the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, issued a directive revoking all appointments and recruitments made into the public service establishments after December 7, 2024.
Mr Debrah, in the directive, requested all heads of government institutions to take necessary steps to annul these appointments and recruitments into public offices.

The move, according to the Chief of Staff, was consistent with the government’s stance on near-end-of-tenure appointments and recruitments, which were deemed non-compliant with established good governance practices and principles.

The Chief of Staff further directed that a comprehensive report on the actions taken is expected to be submitted to the Office of the Chief of Staff by today, Monday, February 17, 2025.

But in a clarification to the revocation directive especially about the Ministry of Health, the health minister sought to water down the Chief of Staff’s directive, stating that, the Health Ministry’s budget made provision for the recruitments and that only persons employed after 31 December, 2024 will have their appointments revoked.

Kwabena Mintah Akandoh’s clarification which defies the Chief of Staff’s directive raises questions on due diligence done by the Chief of Staff before issuing the revocation of appointments after December 7, setting the 2 personalities on a collision course.
While Kwabena Mintah Akandoh’s clarification suggests there are no budgetary constraints to employ workers in December, Julius Debrah’s revocation directive was claimed to uphold good governance practices and ensure that all appointments and recruitments were made under established principles.

Story by: Isaac Clottey