A Democracy and Development Fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr. John Osae Kwapong, has cautioned the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) against proposals to remove individuals perceived to be politically exposed from the civil service.
According to Dr. Kwapong, such a move would set a dangerous and regrettable precedent for Ghana’s democratic governance and institutional integrity.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, he emphasized that the civil service is constitutionally established to be neutral and non-partisan, serving the government of the day while maintaining administrative continuity and professionalism across political transitions.
His caution follows remarks by Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, who recently argued for a comprehensive “purge” of the civil service to eliminate individuals allegedly aligned with political parties. Gbandemaintained that such an exercise was necessary to restore professionalism, discipline, and impartiality within the service.
However, Dr. Kwapong strongly disagreed, warning that indiscriminate dismissals of civil servants based on perceived political affiliations could erode public trust, undermine meritocracy, and violate constitutional safeguards designed to protect the neutrality and independence of the service.
Responding to the concerns, Mr. Gbande insisted that his call was justified, claiming that some senior bureaucrats, including Chief Directors, have openly engaged in partisan activities — from contesting parliamentary primaries to participating in campaign operations.
While acknowledging that such individual breaches should not go unaddressed, Dr. Kwapong stressed that any disciplinary measures must be handled lawfully and on a case-by-case basis. He warned that blanket political cleansing of the civil service would compromise the core democratic principle of institutional independence.
He concluded by urging political actors to prioritize public sector reforms that strengthen accountability, professionalism, and efficiency, rather than resorting to politically motivated realignments that could threaten the very foundations of Ghana’s democracy.
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