Co-founder of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, has praised President John Dramani Mahama for his recent directive suspending all post-retirement contract extensions for public service staff across the country.
The directive, issued on April 2, 2025, and signed by the Secretary to the President, Dr. Callistus Mahama, stated that all current and future requests for contract extensions involving retired personnel will no longer be considered.
According to Prof. Agyeman-Duah, the policy is a bold and necessary step toward creating opportunities for younger professionals and tackling redundancy within public institutions.
Reacting to the development on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Tuesday, April 8, Prof. Agyeman-Duah described the move as commendable, although he noted that a more targeted approach might have been preferable.
“The president’s decision to ban or curtail that kind of sanction is a good move. But it should not have been a blanket announcement; it should have been on a case-by-case basis. Perhaps the president is being overwhelmed by the number of requests coming from all angles.
“The question, preview for extension, could be other reasons, but I think perhaps the president is being overwhelmed by that. The right decision is to issue that blank statement.”
While acknowledging the merit of the directive, Prof. Agyeman-Duah cautioned that a one-size-fits-all approach might overlook exceptional cases and could complicate leadership transitions within the public service.