The outgoing Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mustapha Abdul Hamid, has given approval for a series of mass recruitments within the Authority despite being on the verge of leaving his position.
On the 11th of December, 2024, Abdul Hamid circulated a confidential memo labeled “Transfers, Movements, Appointments, and Upgrades” to both Management and staff, detailing the controversial recruitments and redeployments.
“As a follow-up to the memorandum dated 20th November, 2024, outlining measures to enhance the Authority’s efficiency in addressing the needs of internal and external stakeholders, the following transfers, movements, appointments, and upgrades will come into effect on the specified dates,” stated the memo.
The confidential memo contained a list of 49 names earmarked for recruitment, transfers, and appointments.
These individuals are purportedly affiliated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), raising concerns that Mustapha Hamid is filling the NPA with political allies.
Noteworthy is the trend of widespread recruitments occurring across various Ministries, departments, and agencies at the behest and coordination of outgoing officials from the Akufo-Addo administration.
Accompanying these actions are substantial payments being processed by the government, indicating what seems to be a final phase of plunder and subversion following the NPP’s defeat in the December 7, 2024, elections.
The incoming Mahama administration has pledged to reverse these appointments and financial transactions.
A statement released by the transition team and signed by spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu made it clear that the eleventh-hour appointments will be invalidated.
“To be clear, all public officials are strongly advised to resist any attempts by outgoing political figures to participate in these activities as there may be serious repercussions once the new government assumes office,” read part of the statement.
However, it has come to light that the last-minute appointments are being retroactively dated in a bid to circumvent the incoming administration set to assume power on January 7, 2025
