BoG within its rights to end probation jobs — Austin Gamey

Renowned labour consultant and former Employment Minister, Austin Gamey, has defended the Bank of Ghana's (BoG) recent dismissal of nearly 100 staff, insisting the move falls squarely within the bounds of Ghanaian labour law.

In an interview with Joy Business, Mr. Gamey explained that under current employment regulations, organisations have the legal authority to terminate the appointments of probationary staff who do not meet performance expectations.

The BoG came under public scrutiny after it terminated the appointments of approximately 97 individuals who had been recruited after December 7, 2024. According to internal assessments, these staff members failed to meet performance benchmarks during their probation.

Mr. Gamey likened the process to football trials, where only those who prove their worth earn permanent contracts. “It’s a standard practice in every profession,” he said.

Addressing allegations of political interference, Mr. Gamey dismissed such claims, noting that the BoG’s actions were merit-based and not politically driven. He referenced earlier statements by the ruling NDC about the lack of financial clearance for post-election hires but added that those who were unqualified would have been removed long ago if politics were involved.

On the question of possible legal action by dismissed staff, Mr. Gamey was clear: unless someone can prove they were not accorded due process, a lawsuit would be unlikely to succeed.

The BoG has maintained that the dismissals are part of routine performance management and not targeted at any specific group. 

Mr. Gamey concluded with a call for professionalism in public sector hiring. “If our institutions continue to uphold merit-based systems, we won’t need to worry about political purges with each change in government,” he remarked.