The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has reiterated its firm opposition to political appointments within the civil service, insisting that leadership roles should be filled through internal selection and presented for presidential approval, rather than through direct appointment.
CLOGSAG has been on strike since February 22, 2025, in protest against the appointment of Samuel Adom Botchway as Registrar of the Births and Deaths Registry. The association argues that the appointment disregards long-standing procedures, undermining civil service neutrality and the merit-based promotion system.
“We must all uphold the constitution of Ghana. The president has the power to appoint, but he is not the one to personally select candidates. There is an established process where competent individuals are identified and presented for his approval,” stated CLOGSAG’s Executive Secretary, Bampoe Addo, during a discussion on the theme “Guarding the Gate: Labour Unions as Protectors of Service Neutrality.”
CLOGSAG contends that certain positions, including the Registrar of Births and Deaths, are progressive roles that should be filled through structured promotions from within the service. Bampoe Addo emphasized that direct political appointments disrupt the motivation of civil servants who work their way up the ranks with the expectation of career progression.
“There are roles in the civil service that should not allow direct entry. Everyone in the registration class works toward the goal of becoming Registrar. If someone is appointed from outside the system, bypassing years of experience and training, it discourages dedicated employees and weakens institutional integrity,” he argued.
The association has vowed to resist what it describes as creeping politicization of the civil service, reaffirming its commitment to upholding neutrality, anonymity, and permanence—key principles that define the professionalism of Ghana’s public administration.
“We have raised concerns about this issue before, but in 2025, we will take a stronger stand. As civil servants, we must safeguard the principles that keep our institutions stable and unbiased,” Bampoe Addo stressed.
CLOGSAG’s protest has reignited discussions on civil service independence, with many stakeholders calling for strict adherence to constitutional provisions in public sector appointments. The government, however, has yet to issue an official response to the ongoing strike and the concerns raised by the association.
