EDITORIAL: Good Faith Appointments?
Further to the engagement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by the quondam NDC government, to help infuse credibility in the Ghanaian economy, the employment of a cate- gory of workers was stanched. Recruitment into the civil service, education service and the health care delivery services had to be sus- pended as per IMF stipulations. In spite of the embargo placed on employment by the IMF President Mahama before his departure appointed and recruited into the various min- istries, departments and agencies. But was it in good faith?
Presidents have been known to make appointments to certain important positions and what is happening in Ghana under Mahama is not strange. President J.A. Kufuor made similar appointments in 2008 before he left office, increased salaries and left behind a single spine payment system for which no money was made available. After handover, the late President Mills dismissed some 400 recruits in the armed forces because according to the government, the recruits were suspected NPP elements being awarded with those jobs.
We believe that in much the same vein President Akufo Addo could on economic grounds decide to truncate the recruitments as President Mills did in 2008. After all what is good for the goose is good for the gander. According to legal minds, only the so-called Article 71 appointments cannot be rejected.
President Mahama’s action smells more of mischief or even payback. Amandla believes that growth and development goes with maturity. Democracy and competitive politics sometimes spawn bitterness and even hate. For this and other reasons, Parliaments must take a critical look and take a cue from Australia where no appointments could be made by a sitting President six months prior to elections.
Ghanaians deserve better. Elections are either won or lost and President Mahama’s gracious concession speech nailed the higher level of maturity Ghana’s democracy has reached. Democratic governance is highly competitive but not an exercise in pugilism.
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