Finance ministry has over 30 special assistants -CLOGSAG to clear out job-snatchers

The Civil and Local Government staff Association has said it will soon embark on a campaign to rid the ministries of the sprawling influence of government’s special assistants.

“We are going to clear them from the ministry”, the Executive Secretary of Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana, (CLOGSAG) Isaac Bampoe-Addo told Joy News.

He said a strike is one of the various options the association could consider.

While Isaac Bampoe-Addo admits a minister is free to appoint special assistants, he has observed, the non-career employees are taking over the work of professionals.

“The situation is becoming worse”, he expressed worry.

Photo: Isaac Bampoe-Addo

He mentioned ministries like the Gender and Social Protection but zoomed in on the Finance ministry where he said the minister Ken Ofori-Atta has employed his own internal auditors.

“How can a whole minister appoint his internal auditor. It is wrong” the CLOGSAG Executive Secretary said.

He said over 30 special assistants have swarmed the ministry while the minister has also appointed non-career civil servants to head divisions within the ministry.

Isaac Bampoe-Addo rejected claims the Civil Service is ineffective hence the need for the political heads to rely on trusted hands.

The Executive Secretary said he was rendered a ghost name on the public payroll by the Finance ministry inspite of all the trumped up competence of these special recruits.

The CLOGSAG leader said the association has since January been meeting “whoever matters” on the matter but nothing has been done.

Head of Civil Service Nana Agyekum Dwamena who talked up a very cordial relationship with CLOGSAG leadership maintained “there is no situation of somebody taking over somebody’s job”.

Photo: Head of Civil Service Nana Agyekum Dwamena

He explained there are two types of non-career civil servants – technical advisors and personal assistants.

He said personal or special assistants handle the political activities of the minister such are meeting party people or keeping an eye on the political side of the minister’s work.

Technical advisors have a very limited relationship at the ministry and usually consults or advises Chief Directors.

These advisors may have been posted by the World Bank and have a “symbiotic relationship” with the ministry.

“Civil servants don’t know everything just as Technical advisors don’t know everything”, he said.

He, however, said if it is found that a Special Assistant is doing the routine work of civil servants that would be wrong.

Source:Myjoyonline