Isaac Bampoe-Addo addressing the news conference
The Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) has observed that the continuous politicization of the work of civil servants is threatening effective service delivery.
“CLOGSAG subscribes to the view that an effective civil service is essential to modern-day democratic society and that a measure of neutrality is necessary in order to preserve effectiveness,” CLOGSAG Executive Secretary, Isaac Bampoe-Addo, said at a news conference in Accra yesterday.
He said CLOGSAG wants the public to discuss the neutrality expected of civil servants in order to ensure effective governance in the country.
He said that the 1992 Constitution attaches importance to the work of civil servants that’s why the Constitution debars those in active service from becoming Members of Parliament under Article 94 (3) (b) saying, “This has formed the basis of Code of Conduct in the service that a civil servant cannot engage in activities of political parties.”
Mr. Bampoe-Addo said those provisions in the Constitution are somehow compensated for by the security of tenure of office for civil servants and therefore must be seen to be working hard to promote effective running of government business.
“CLOGSAG supports the stand that no civil servant must owe or be seen to owe appointment or promotion to partisan activities since visible partisanship by civil servants would severely impair, if not destroy, the public perception of neutrality,” he charged.
He noted, “Over time, the stability and security of tenure of civil servants have been threatened with political interference in the removal of officers within the services as a result of changes in government.”
The CLOGSAG boss said that the spate of victimization and transfers as well as promotion within the service in instances of a change of government, are worrisome.
“The association is drawing attention to this issue, aware of the powers conferred on the president in the appointment and termination of appointment of public officers within the public services,” Mr. Bampoe-Addo underscored.
He said that the Constitutional Instrument (CI) that will enable the Public Services Commission to make regulations for effective performance of its functions is still not available.
By William Yaw Owusu