More Than 10,000 People Hired Without Interviews Under NPP

According to Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Ghana’s Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, the outgoing Akufo-Addo administration under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) hired approximately 12,000 individuals across various public sectors in the weeks immediately following their loss in the December 7, 2024, general elections.

These appointments were reportedly made without standard recruitment processes like interviews, creating a sudden payroll burden for the incoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) government led by President John Dramani Mahama.

Pelpuo made these remarks during public addresses earlier this year, highlighting the hires as a deliberate effort to complicate his Ministry. Since some NPP officials are linking the tragic events at the Elwak Stadium to the NDC government’s selection of its members prior to the recruitment exercise, the Minister affirmed this in a recent interview in relation to the Elwak Ghana Armed Forces.

He noted that many of these new employees remain unpaid months later due to the rushed nature of the appointments, exacerbating ongoing salary arrears in sectors like healthcare.

The NPP had campaigned on a platform of economic revival and job creation, touting over 2 million jobs generated during its tenure. Yet, as results trickled in confirming a resounding NDC victory—John Dramani Mahama securing 56.6% of the presidential vote—the administration’s focus shifted from legacy-building to last-minute maneuvers.

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According to Hon. Rashid Pelpuo, no competitive interviews were conducted; appointments were issued via executive directives, often citing “urgent national needs.”

Kennedy Agyapong, on the other hand, claimed in a recent interview that the Ghana Armed Forces recruitment procedure was really a cover-up and that the NDC leadership had already chosen the military people through the back door. He made these remarks in reference to the fatalities that occurred at Elwak Sports Stadium.