Renowned legal practitioner and Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Edudzi Kudzo Tamaklo has condemned Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, former Vice President and 2024 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), over his failure to prevent mass job revocations during the Akufo-Addo administration.
In a statement reacting to Dr. Bawumia’s recent message to former President John Dramani Mahama, Tamekloe questioned the moral basis of the NPP leader’s appeal for national unity when, according to him, the administration he served had dismissed many more young Ghanaians from their jobs without justification.
“I read through your statement addressed to your senior brother, President John Dramani Mahama. Perhaps a phone call would have been more impactful.”
“But before I ask my question, I noticed that throughout your entire statement, you did not attempt to apologize to the young Ghanaians who lost their jobs due to the mass revocation of appointments in 2017,” Tamakloe wrote.
Recalling a specific instance, Lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe referred to a letter from Mustapha Ussif, then Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS) and now MP for Yagaba-Kubori, which led to the withdrawal of appointments for newly recruited Regional and District NSS Directors.
“The law firm where I practised took this matter to court to challenge these mass withdrawals. The judge refused to hear us and dismissed our suit. For eight years, these innocent Ghanaians suffered quietly,” he said.
He contrasted the actions of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration with those of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, who despite pressure from his party members sought national unity.
“President Professor John Evans Atta Mills—may his soul rest in peace—decided to be a father to all. This decision didn’t sit well with many NDC members who had suffered under President Kufuor. Yet, as a leader, he believed it was best for Ghana,” he noted.
Mr. Tamakloe accused religious leaders of remaining silent when the dismissals affected perceived NDC members, arguing that such actions had created deep divisions.
“From 2017 to 2024, it felt as though a coup d’état had taken place. Too often, the people who suffer are desperate young Ghanaians simply looking for jobs. Nobody wanted to listen to me,” ,” he remarked.
He called for a bipartisan agreement to end mass recruitments close to elections, to ensure a fairer system for young job seekers.
He argued that the state should reach a point where there is agreement that mass recruitment should be avoided within three months of the next election saying, “We all have a responsibility to the young people of this country to design a better future.”
By Marani Issah/thenewsbulletin24.com