Renowned human resource expert and former Employment Minister, Austin Gamey, says the Bank of Ghana (BoG) acted within the framework of Ghana’s labour laws in terminating the appointments of some staff recruited in December 2024.
In an interview with Joy Business, Mr. Gamey explained that under Ghanaian labour law, employers are allowed to engage new hires on probation for up to six months, during which time their performance is assessed. If a recruit fails to meet expectations, the employer reserves the right to terminate the appointment.
“You can even be let go without notice,” Mr. Gamey noted. “If someone completes their probation and the company decides not to retain them, they can be released with about two weeks’ notice—or even none.”
On June 19, 2025, the Bank of Ghana issued termination letters to about 97 individuals who had been recruited after December 7, 2024, indicating that their appointments had not been confirmed. According to the Bank, internal assessments found that the affected individuals did not meet the required standards during their probation period.
Mr. Gamey stressed that the affected group represented only a fraction of the over 200 people recruited during that period.
He compared probationary employment to a footballer on trial: “If the person justifies their inclusion, they earn a full contract. If not, the club—or employer—moves on.”
Addressing speculation that the dismissals were politically motivated—given the change in government—Mr. Gamey dismissed the notion, pointing out that the ruling NDC had earlier stated that appointments made after December 7, 2024, lacked financial clearance.
“If this were really political, those affected would have been dismissed long ago, when that directive first came out,” he remarked.
He emphasized that there is no evidence suggesting all recruits were terminated, only those who failed to meet the Bank’s internal performance standards.
Mr. Gamey also downplayed the prospects of legal action by the affected staff.
“Since they went through due process, I don’t think going to court would be successful—unless it’s proven that proper procedures weren’t followed.”
The Bank of Ghana, for its part, has maintained that the exercise is a standard component of its performance management strategy and is not targeted at any specific group.
“This is routine and aligns with our commitment to maintaining a high-performance environment,” a senior official told Joy Business.
Another source within the Bank noted that in some cases, due process was not fully observed during the recruitment phase, further justifying the decision to terminate certain appointments.
Mr. Gamey concluded by urging stakeholders not to expect politically motivated dismissals in the future, should the New Patriotic Party (NPP) return to power in 2028.
“If the system operates on merit, these cycles will naturally come to an end,” he said.
Credit: Abubakar Ibrahim
