BoG reversal of sacked employees would not have happened under Akufo-Addo – Franklin Cudjoe

The recent decision by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to reinstate nearly 100 employees whose probationary appointments were terminated has drawn sharp commentary from the President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, who contends that such a reversal would have been unthinkable under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.

Speaking in an interview with TV3 on Friday, June 27, Mr. Cudjoe applauded the current leadership of the Bank of Ghana for its “sensible” decision, which reportedly followed widespread public outcry and parliamentary intervention after termination letters were issued on June 19, 2025.

“I strongly believe that there would never have been a reversal under an NPP administration; under Nana Addo, he will never do it. So, at least we should thank the BoG guy; he is a sensible guy, and I love him,” Mr Cudjoe stated, implicitly commending the current BoG Governor for demonstrating a degree of flexibility and responsiveness he believes was absent in past administrations.

The central bank’s initial decision to terminate the probationary appointments of 97 staff members, largely recruited in December 2024, had sparked considerable controversy.

The BoG had initially justified the dismissals as a routine post-probation review based on performance metrics and strategic alignment.

However, the Minority in Parliament swiftly condemned the move as “unconstitutional, unlawful, and morally unacceptable”, demanding immediate reinstatement.

Reports indicate that the reversal came after internal deliberations.

Beyond the specific recall, Mr Cudjoe used the opportunity to call for greater transparency in public sector recruitment and appointments.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of clear explanations surrounding the initial dismissals and the subsequent reversal.

“I expected a lot of explanations given the resetting agenda. I raised a preliminary objection because I felt we didn’t have enough light. Public sector work should not be shrouded in secrecy because we pay the government,” Mr Cudjoe asserted.

He emphasised the right of citizens to understand how public servants are hired and what their roles entail.

“You and I need to know the criteria which they were used to be selected, interviewed and eventually appointed. It is important that, going forward, we need to know exactly how these people are appointed,” he stressed.

Mr Cudjoe warned that without such transparency, the public sector risks stagnating.

“We can’t live in a country where people just get up and are recruited and appointed, doing what? We need to know what schedule they are on in the institution and how they infuse into the overall productivity of the country; otherwise, we are not going anywhere,” he added.

The Bank of Ghana’s personnel expenses reportedly increased from GH¢2.3 billion in 2023 to GH¢2.9 billion in 2024, which some observers speculated could have been a factor in the initial terminations, though the BoG maintained they were performance-based.

The recalled staff have reportedly been placed on extended probation, signalling that their performance will continue to be closely monitored.

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