Renowned human resource consultant, Austin Gamey, says the Bank of Ghana (BoG) acted within the confines of labour laws in terminating the appointments of some staff recruited in December 2024.
Speaking to Joy Business, the former Employment Minister explained that under Ghanaian labour law, employers are permitted to engage individuals on probation for up to six months, during which time performance is assessed.
If a recruit fails to meet the expectations of the organisation, the employer reserves the right to terminate the appointment.
“You can even be allowed to go without notice,” Mr. Gamey noted. “If someone completes their probation and the company cannot keep them, they can be let go with about two weeks’ notice—or even none.”
The Bank of Ghana, on June 19, 2025, issued letters to about 97 individuals recruited after December 7, 2024, informing them that their appointments had not been confirmed.
The Bank said this was based on an internal assessment, which found the affected individuals did not meet required standards during their probation period.
Mr. Gamey emphasised that the number affected was a fraction of the more than 200 people recruited during that period.
He likened probationary employment to a footballer on trial: “If the person justifies their inclusion, then they earn a full contract. If not, the club—like an employer—moves on.”
On whether the decision was politically motivated—given the change in government—Mr. Gamey rejected the suggestion.
He referred to earlier claims by the ruling NDC that those recruited after December 7, 2024, would be removed for lack of financial clearance.
“If this were really political, they would have been fired long ago, when that directive was first issued,” he observed.
Mr. Gamey said there was no evidence that all recruits were dismissed and pointed out that only those who failed to meet the Bank’s internal requirements were affected.
He also dismissed the viability of legal redress for the affected individuals.
“Since they all went through the due process, I don’t think going to court will work,” he said. “Unless it is proven that they were not taken through due process, then they may have a case.”
The Bank of Ghana has maintained that the exercise is a routine part of performance management, not targeting any specific group.
One senior official told Joy Business: “Such exercises are routine and form part of the institution’s commitment to maintaining a high-performance work environment.”
Another official noted that, in several cases, due process was not followed in the recruitment phase, further justifying the decision to terminate some appointments.
Mr. Gamey concluded that there was no need to expect a political purge should the NPP return to power in 2028. “If the system works by merit, these cycles will end,” he said.
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