40 Former Public Workers Sue Government Over Unlawful Dismissals

A group of 40 former public sector employees has taken legal action against the government, accusing it of unlawful and politically motivated dismissals.

The workers, who were hired in 2024, claim that their terminations violated their constitutional rights and ignored due process.

The dismissals stemmed from a directive issued on February 10, 2025, by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah.

The directive ordered public institutions to nullify all appointments made after December 7, 2024—the date of Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections.

According to the government, this move was essential to ensure proper governance, as it alleged that the last-minute appointments made by the previous administration under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were improper.

The affected workers have hired Dame and Partners, a law firm associated with former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame, to represent them in their legal battle.

They are suing the Attorney General and six government agencies: the Ghana Revenue Authority, National Lottery Authority, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Shippers Council, and the National Health Insurance Authority.

The plaintiffs argue that neither the President nor the Chief of Staff has the legal authority to dismiss public servants outside of the conditions outlined in Article 191(b) of the Constitution.

They are seeking a court ruling declaring their terminations illegal, the annulment of the Chief of Staff’s directive, their reinstatement, and compensation for the hardship they have faced.

In addition, the workers are demanding an injunction to prevent further politically motivated purges in the civil service.

Many of the affected employees say they underwent rigorous hiring processes, including interviews and tests, and some even claim they were employed before the December 7 election but were still dismissed under the directive.