Ranking Member on the Employment Committee of Parliament, Dr Kwabena Donkor has condemned the staff of the Finance Ministry for cheering the Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta after the 2024 budget reading.
The Pru East MP’s comment follows a viral video in which some staff of the Ministry of Finance were seen in a supposed praise and worship session to welcome the Finance Minister after the 2024 budget presentation in Parliament.
This action has infuriated the legislator who described the civil servants’ action as ‘unfortunate’.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Midday news, Dr. Donkor said the staff must be called to order.
“I call on the Head of the Civil Service to stamp out this behaviour. The Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance must issue a stern warning to such civil servants,” he requested.
According to him, it is inappropriate for civil servants to “adopt partisan positions contrary to their oath of service.”
He added, “Indeed, every civil servant swears an oath and encompassed in the oath is political neutrality so when you have civil servants being reduced to cheerleaders, it is most unfortunate.”
Dr. Donkor said that when civil servants tow this line, “they make it extremely impossible for any incoming government to work with them.”
This, he explained is the reason why since the colonial days, the cardinal principle of civil servants has been neutrality.
“We must not countenance this. This partisanship displayed by paid civil servants goes against the state.”
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