Transition Team set to Scrutinize All New Payments and Hires

Dec 13, 2024 - 18:45

Dec 13, 2024 - 18:47

Transition Team set to Scrutinize All New Payments and Hires

Felix Kwakye Ofosu is the Spokesperson for the Mahama Transition Team

Ghana's joint transition team, established to ensure a smooth transfer of power to President-elect John Mahama, has announced new guidelines for ongoing government activities.

At its second meeting held on Friday, December 13, 2024, the team agreed that all significant payments, recruitments, and other activities must be submitted for consideration on a case-by-case basis.

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, spokesperson for President-Elect John Mahama's Transition Team, has called for transparency and adherence to proper processes during the transition period.

According to Kwakye Ofosu, the transition team has discovered several irregularities, including the issuance of over 700 backdated appointment letters at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) without proper recruitment processes. Similarly, about 150 individuals received appointment letters from the Bank of Ghana.

The transition team has also flagged a GH₵240 million payment to an entity linked to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), urging for its suspension until further scrutiny is completed. Kwakye Ofosu emphasized that such critical financial decisions should be made by the incoming government, stressing that "good governance requires that the incoming government is given the opportunity to make these decisions."

In a statement released on Friday Dec 13, the team also warned public officials against making last-minute decisions that could undermine the transition process.

''At the second meeting of the joint transition team held on Friday Dec 13, 2024. It was agreed that all ongoing significant payments, recruitments, and other such activities must be submitted to the Transition Team for consideration on a case-by-case basis.

''This is to bring clarity to the status of these payments and recruitments and offers an amicable structure for satisfactorily addressing the issues involved.

''All public officials are, therefore, strongly encouraged to comply without fail and resit any undue pressures,'' the statement read.

Find the full statement below.