Editorial: No Political Dismissals

We have read with a lot of interest, recent newspaper publications of the decision of the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, not to dismiss any Public or civil Servants from their positions merely on account of his or her political affiliations. For many Ghanaians across the political divide, this is a most welcome news and must have come as a big relief for many in the Civil and Public Services who certainly must have been on edge since the Mills administration took office in January this year. The reason for such persons and their families being jittery are not far fetched. They have a certain history behind them. In 1970, the Progress Party (NPP) Government under Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, the co-founder of the political tradition of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), set the trail for vindictiveness in Ghanaian Government appointments by dismissing 568 Ghanaian Public and Civil Servants from office on the flimsy excuse that they were CFPP loyalists and therefore his Government could not count on their loyalty and would not work with them. Even as they fought and won their case in a court of competent jurisdiction, the Busia regime refused to take them back. They were dismissed without any courtesies or rewards. The now notorious �No Court! No Court! Declaration by Dr Busia was a case in point. Again, in 2001, following the defeat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP) a direct descendant of Dr Busia�s Progress Party, under former President John Agyekum Kufuor also carried out similar wicked acts by dismissing many Public and Civil Servants from office merely because they belonged to the NDC. Prominent among those so dismissed from office was Mr Kwesi Ahwoi who was then the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investments Promotion Centre (GIPC). The NPP Government went as far as withdrawing Ghanaians who were serving with international organisations and who they perceived as being Members of the National Democratic Congress. Dr Sipa Adja-Yankey who was then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ecowas Investment Bank was prematurely withdrawn by the Kufuor regime merely for being NDC. It was therefore not unexpected that many Ghanaian including certain persons in the Public and Civil Services were of the view that a number of them, particularly those who were appointed by the Kufuor regime merely on the basis of their affiliations with the NPP would be relieved of their positions and new ones appointed by the Mills� administration. Before the announcement, Presdient Mills has been very circumspect and extremely cautious in making changes at certain very sensitive national institutions. The decision of the President, who is known to have a kind heart and has publicly declared that he was determined to be a father to all Ghanaians comes with all the danger that it carries with it. Would those whose interests he is seeking to protect today not turn out to be the �Trojan houses� that would ultimately undermine his government, particularly in the crucial years of 2011 and 2012? This is because Civil and Public Servants are the ones who drive Government programmes and policies and without a hundred percent (100%) loyalty, one could not guarantee �safety� in their handling of Government matters. Herein lies the danger ahead. This policy, humane as it is, is a two edged sword and the Mills� administration must be extremely careful in its implementation.