The Director of Operations at the Presidency, Mustapha Gbande, has stated that he would rather see a politically exposed New Patriotic Party (NPP) director dismissed and replaced with 20 new employees.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, Mr. Gbande said the government must not tolerate individuals who were deeply involved in the previous administration yet still occupy key roles in state institutions.
According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s position on corruption is firm — many cases of corruption, he argued, stemmed from politically compromised figures within the public sector.
“The corruption we talk about didn’t happen because of one minister or deputy minister. It occurred within institutions, among directors and finance officers, and it was driven by people who were politically compromised,” he said.
Mr. Gbande added that identifying politically exposed individuals does not always require a court ruling.
“We know those who played major roles under President Akufo-Addo’s regime. They believed in that administration and worked for it, whether good or bad. What business do they have in this government? Why are we tolerating them?” he questioned.
His comments follow rising pressure on the NDC government from its grassroots supporters, who are calling for jobs and appointments after the party’s 2024 general election victory.
Citing ongoing issues with school placement, Mr. Gbande claimed that many officials responsible for the challenges were loyal to the NPP.
“I prefer to sack a senior director who is politically exposed and employ 20 people — 15 from NDC and 5 from NPP grassroots. I’d be happy with that because corruption didn’t start from the grassroots; it happened at the ministries and agencies,” he explained.
Mr. Gbande also rejected claims that the government’s 24-hour economy initiative is just a political slogan. He described it as a “vigorous policy” being implemented in stages, with measurable results already emerging.
“It is not a knee-jerk policy. It’s a vigorous, gradual process, and the full impact will be seen,” he concluded.
