Forty former public sector employees have filed a lawsuit against the government, alleging wrongful and politically motivated termination of their employment.
The workers, hired in 2024, contend that their dismissals violated constitutional provisions and due process.
Their terminations followed a directive issued by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah on February 10, 2025, which ordered the revocation of all public sector appointments made after the December 7, 2024 elections.
The government justified the directive as upholding good governance principles, citing irregularities in late-stage appointments by the previous administration.
Represented by Dame and Partners, the plaintiffs are suing the Attorney General and six state agencies. They are seeking a court declaration that their dismissals were unlawful, arguing that neither the President nor the Chief of Staff has the constitutional authority to remove public servants outside specific conditions.
Their demands include the nullification of the Chief of Staff’s directive, reinstatement, compensation for hardship, and a bar on further political dismissals in the civil service.
Many of the dismissed workers claim they underwent rigorous recruitment processes, and some assert they were hired before December 7th.
Tafo MP Ekow Vincent Assafuah has condemned the dismissals as politically driven injustice, estimating that around 5,000 public servants have been unfairly removed.
The lawsuit is anticipated to be a significant legal battle, scrutinizing the extent of executive power in public service appointments and potentially impacting governance and employment practices in Ghana. The government has yet to issue an official response.
