By Esq. Appiah Kusi Adomako
‘Some people look at reality and ask “why,” but I imagine possibilities that do not yet exist and wonder “why not?”‘ – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
Securing employment in Ghana’s public sector mostly depends on political and social connections rather than competence.
Ideally, hiring for positions within Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) should rely on merit, involve public announcements of vacancies, and ensure an open and clear recruitment and selection procedure.
In reality, though, it frequently involves secrecy, nepotism, and an alarming absence of fair play and responsibility.
Inquire with any recent Ghanaian graduate about finding job openings at key public organizations such as the Bank of Ghana (BOG), the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), GNPC, or the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), and they will probably just shrug their shoulders.
These and similar organizations keep recruiting entry- and mid-level employees annually, but they do not publish any job vacancies openly.
To be honest, I haven’t come across any job openings at the Bank of Ghana being advertised yet.
Daily Graphic
or the
Ghanaian Times
The truth is straightforward: without political connections or an insider within the organization, securing employment at these institutions is quite difficult. Some organizations practice nepotism where having a parent employed there significantly increases your likelihood of being hired.
The present public sector hiring process in Ghana is not only opaque but also fundamentally flawed. Positions frequently get allocated via “protocol lists” provided by politicians and other prominent individuals.
This has resulted in an alarming pattern emerging at our universities, where students join political party affiliates like TEIN or TESCON not due to genuine beliefs, but rather as a means of self-preservation.
Rather than fostering innovation, scholarly pursuits, entrepreneurial spirit, and critical thought, our higher education institutions have turned into incubators for political activists and propagandists.
Compare this with the more open recruitment methods used by security agencies such as the police, army, navy, and air force, which currently utilize systematic procedures, geographical variety, and balanced nationwide representation in their hiring practices.
The present system puts individuals from rural and underconnected areas of Ghana at a disadvantage as well. A person living in Tamale, Damongo, or Dambai has much lower chances of hearing about job openings in the public sector compared to someone residing in Accra or Kumasi.
The lack of a unified, digital recruitment system has exacerbated geographical disparities in accessing public sector jobs. It’s now commonplace for many college graduates to move to Accra following their mandatory national service.
Perhaps the issue stems from the absence of a well-defined regulatory structure and enforcement mechanisms for hiring within the public sector. According to Article 194 of the 1992 Constitution, the establishment of the Public Services Commission (PSC) was intended to oversee recruitment processes. Additionally, the Public Services Commission Act of 1994 (Act 482) provides more details about the commission’s responsibilities.
Nevertheless, the PSC has remained mostly inactive, permitting MDAs to conduct secretive hiring processes with minimal supervision.
The Price of a Failing Framework
The outcomes of unclear hiring processes are varied. Initially, they undermine governmental bodies by reducing employee capability since partisan allegiance frequently overrides skill set requirements.
As a result, this impacts service provision, efficiency, and citizen confidence. Additionally, it causes inflated staffing levels because each new administration seeks to reward political backers with jobs.
Politically appointed or ‘protocol’ employees frequently overlap in their responsibilities, which drives up salaries without enhancing productivity. Ultimately, this approach estranges significant portions of young people, who are struggling with substantial joblessness, disenchantment, and social-economic marginalization.
What Requires Being Accomplished?
The current administration has launched a reset agenda and resetting cannot be complete without fixing this broken system.
To reverse this trend, the government (specifically the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment along with the Public Service Commission) needs to swiftly implement a regulatory framework for hiring within the public sector. The subsequent policy changes can help steer this initiative:
Initially, the government needs to create a unified digital platform akin to the Ghana.gov website for posting all public sector job openings and accepting applications online.
This portal should function as the sole gateway for hiring within ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). It could be structured similar to Kenya’s Public Service Commission online recruitment system or follow India’s Union Public Service Commission model.
Secondly, \xa0the PSC should enforce a policy requiring all public institutions to advertise vacancies in newspapers, on the digital platform, and through other media for a minimum of 30 days. This would increase transparency and ensure that all qualified candidates have an opportunity to apply, regardless of their connections.
Thirdly, the recruitment process should incorporate aptitude tests and competency-based interviews aimed at evaluating candidates’ skills and qualifications.
Independent committees, untainted by politics, ought to supervise these procedures. The PSC might incorporate aspects of the security agencies’ hiring approach, striking a balance between competence and variety.
Fourthly, a national recruitment schedule should be released at the start of every year to keep the public informed about forthcoming openings and minimize impromptu hiring.
Ultimately, every recruitment process needs to create digital records for annual auditing purposes. This documentation ought to be publicly disclosed to ensure transparency and accountability. Additionally, the responsibility falls on the Auditor General to oversee and examine the methods used in recruiting for public services.
To sum up, these changes are attainable. The PSC needs to grasp this chance. By successfully transitioning BECE outcomes, HS placements, and college admission processes into digital formats, it becomes fully within reach provided there is adequate determination.
The individual serves as both an economist and a legal expert, along with being a proponent for public policy. Currently, he holds the position of West Africa Regional Director at CUTS International. You may reach out to him through his email address.
[email protected]
or
www.cuts-accra.org
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).
Leave a Reply