The Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, Mr. Isaac Bampoe Addo has stated categorically that, CLOGSAG would resist, with all their might to stop the invasion of the Civil Service and the Local Government Service by political apparatchiks and goro boys.
The warning was made during this year’s May Day celebration. According to him, the increasing political appointment and politicization of the Services has been a serious concern to CLOGSAG Since 2017 to draw attention to the inimical impact of replacing active staff of the Civil and Local Government Services with political appointees, and _ putting such appointees in positions which are then exclusive preserve of the staff of Civil and Local Government Services”.
CLOGSAG Mr. Isaac Bampoe indicated, have observed that the unprofessional performance of some political appointees coupled with the blatant disregard for laid down procedures have contributed immensely to the poor state of the economy. “Considering the large number of political appointees at the Ministry of Finance, for example, who have taken over the functions of active Civil Servants, it is no wonder that their bad decisions have culminated in the economic chaos of the country”.
Mr. Isaac Bampoe Addo however, charged Ghanaians to ensure that they vote for a Government that would uphold the principles of Neutrality, Anonymity and Permanence in the Civil Service and the Local Government Service.
He disclosed that, there are instances where party activists were interfering in the work of the staff of the Civil and Local Government Service. “An extreme case is the harassment of a District Coordinating Director, who was literally, dragged out of his office by party activists. There are also instances of lockouts and assaults of staff of District Assemblies across the country by party functionaries.
The irresponsible acts he mentioned, are as a result of the disregard for the principles of Neutrality, Anonymity and Permanence as the hallmark of the two civil srvices. “Unfortunately, the adherence to the ‘prininciple of Neutrality in the Civil Service and Local overnment Service has been viewed as a one-sided penomenon, instead of being two-sided. While the worker should be neutral and should not show any form of discrimination, partisanship or bias in his/her work, the employer (government) is equally expected not to appoint political elements into the system tem. Where a person is politically coloured, the rception of neutrality is weakened and public trust eroded . Eventually, democracy suffers”.
He quoted Supreme Court Ruling on 14″ June, 2017 that stated at “Best practices and Ghana’s socio-political olution require that no civil servant or Local overnment Servant should be perceived to receive appointment or promotion on partisan considerations . At this stage or our socio-political evelopment, when political discourse is all evasive and rivalry can easily trigger a whole chain of reactions, including even violence, it would be most unhealthy to countenance Civil and Local Government servants who publicly proclaim their partisan leanings in the public space, whilst their membership of a party is their right, the open manifestation of such leanings cannot augur well or a neutral workplace, and demonstrate assurance of transparency and anonymity neutrality in decisionmaking or execution of functions. Otherwise a public perception o political corruption in all its orms, including bias, nepotism, abuse o position, capacity and lack of accountability will be engendered, thereby weakening the efectiveness of these government services. Visible partisanship and overt displays o lack of professional neutrality and objectivity would be a _ betrayal of the just expectations of the People of the Republic of Ghana’.
