By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Feb 14, GNA- The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called on the government to reverse its decision to revoke the appointments of individuals recruited into public service after December 7, 2024. According to the Caucus, this decision has left many young people traumatised and uncertain about their future, with some already having their appointments terminated.
Commenting on development on the Floor of Parliament on Friday, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene and safeguard the livelihoods of the affected individuals.
“… Mr Speaker, recruitment is not an event, it is a process. So, I do not think that he intended that people who have gone through aptitude tests and interviews should be sent home,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin questioned the government’s decision, highlighting the impact on the affected individuals and their families.
“… But is it all over the place that our countrymen and women are being sent home? Where do they find food to eat, how do they feed their families? What is going to be their future?” he asked.
In a response, Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga rejected the call, attributing the situation to the reckless recruitment of workers into the public sector by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government. He alleged that most of the recruits were party foot soldiers and family members.
“… Mr Speaker, if you engage in such recklessness and you know that you are leaving office and you decide to load the public sector with workers that will make it difficult for the incoming government. What do you expect?” Mr Ayariga stated.
He, also alleged that the recruitment process was flawed, with no proper advertisement and abuse of discretion.
He said: “If we go and interrogate this requirement, it will come out that the recruitment was an abuse of discretion. There was no proper advertisement, people sat down, agreed among themselves, brought together foot soldiers and then they went to recruit them.”
The debate highlights the ongoing tensions between the Minority and Majority in Parliament, with the former pushing for the government to reconsider its decision and the latter allegedly defending the move as necessary to address the alleged recklessness of the previous administration.
GNA