It’s of their DNA to go away points behind – Rashid Pelpuo blasts NPP over unpaid nurses catastrophe – Life Pulse Daily

Introduction

The controversy surrounding Ghana’s employment and payroll systems has resurfaced with stark implications, drawing national attention to alleged systemic mismanagement by the outgoing New Patriotic Party (NPP) government. At the center of the storm is Dr. Rashid Pelpuo, Ghana’s Employment Minister and a prominent figure in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who has accused the previous administration of orchestrating a payroll crisis intentionally designed to destabilize his government. This accusation, delivered during an interview with PeaceNews TV’s *PM Express* on October 7, 2025, highlights ongoing tensions between political rivals and underscores critical issues in Ghana’s public sector employment practices.

The crisis centers on 7,000 nurses and midwives protesting for unpaid wages after being hired in late 2024. Despite their formal onboarding, many remain without salaries nearly ten months later, while some peers received payments in April 2025. Pelpuo claims the NPP deliberately expanded the workforce without securing payroll allocations, leaving the incoming administration to address a fiscal quagmire. The phrase *“It’s of their DNA to supply the incoming government a difficulty”* encapsulates his allegation of deliberate political sabotage. This article dissects the allegations, their implications, and the broader context of fiscal and political accountability in Ghana’s governance framework.

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Analysis of Allegations

12,000 New Hires Without Financial Planning

Dr. Pelpuo alleges that the NPP government added 12,000 public sector employees to the payroll in the months preceding the 2024 elections. This expansion, according to the minister, occurred without securing the financial resources required to compensate these workers. The accusation suggests a deliberate strategy to create unemployment-related unrest among youth—a demographic critical to NPP’s electoral success.

The NPP’s alleged tactic appears twofold: first, to create the illusion of addressing unemployment before elections by filling government positions, and second, to burden the incoming administration with unsustainable payroll costs. By the end of the 2024 election cycle, the new government faced an unsolved payroll deficit, exacerbating existing funding challenges.

Politicization of Employment and Public Dissatisfaction

The minister’s remarks align with broader criticisms that Ghana’s civil service has become a tool for political patronage. By appointing supporters without regard to fiscal responsibility, past administrations allegedly prioritized short-term electoral gains over long-term economic stability.

The nurses’ protest on October 2, 2025, in Accra starkly illustrates the human cost of this policy. Demonstrations involving thousands of healthcare workers have drawn media attention, exposing systemic inefficiencies in public sector payroll management. The delay in salary payments ties back to the NPP’s flawed financial preparations, leaving the NDC to manage a crisis they did not create.

Historical Context: The Single Spine Salary Structure

Pelpuo drew comparisons to the Single Spine Salary Structure introduced under former President John Agyekum Kufuor. Though designed to standardize teacher salaries, the structure faced criticism for inefficiencies and implementation flaws. While President John Atta Mills later sought reforms, the lingering issues of outdated payroll frameworks reveal persistent challenges in managing public salaries.

The incoming NDC government has reiterated its commitment to revising these frameworks but acknowledges that legacy systems from the NPP administration complicate reforms. The payroll backlog faced by the nurses exemplifies how outdated policies can perpetuate inequities and financial mismanagement across administrations.

Political Timing and Electoral Strategy

Pelpuo’s accusation that the NPP timed their recruitment to coincide with elections underscores a broader pattern in Ghanaian politics. Hiring sprees before electoral cycles are not uncommon, but the alleged lack of financial foresight complicates accountability.

The NPP’s 2024 campaigns emphasized youth employment, yet the failure to plan for wage disbursement contradicts these promises. Analysts argue this dissonance reflects a trend where populist rhetoric overshadows practical governance, leaving public sector workers as collateral damage.

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Summary

The unpaid salaries of 7,000 nurses and midwives in Ghana have become a focal point of criticism against the New Patriotic Party (NPP), with Employment Minister Dr. Rashid Pelpuo accusing the party of leaving a deliberate payroll crisis for his administration to address. The core allegations revolve around political timing, fiscal irresponsibility, and prioritization of electoral gains over sustainable employment practices. Key issues include the hiring of 12,000 workers without budgetary provisions, systemic payroll mismanagement, and the legacy of outdated salary frameworks like the Single Spine Salary Structure.

While Pelpuo asserts the NDC’s commitment to resolving these issues, the protracted delay in payments raises questions about systemic accountability and the long-term viability of employment strategies in Ghana’s political landscape. This case exemplifies the intersection of governance, economics, and electoral politics, with implications for public trust and administrative transparency.

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Key Points

The DNA Metaphor: Political Sabotage Accusations

Dr. Pelpuo’s claim that the NPP’s actions reflect a “DNA” to create crises for successors underscores allegations of deliberate political sabotage. By leaving the NDC to manage unpaid wages and payroll deficits, the NPP is accused of undermining its successor government.

Unpaid Nurses and Midwives Crisis

Over 7,000 healthcare workers have not received salaries for nearly a year, despite formal appointment. Partial payments to 6,500 colleagues in April 2025 suggest selective implementation, prolonging uncertainty and grievances.

Fiscal Irresponsibility and Payroll Management

The lack of financial planning for new hires reflects broader inefficiencies in public sector payroll management. Critics argue that such practices prioritize political symbolism over sustainable economic policies.

Historical Parallels: Kufuor and Atta Mills’ Reforms

The lingering issues of the Single Spine Salary Structure highlight how outdated systems continue to affect governance. These examples reinforce calls for systemic reforms to modernize public administration.

Electoral Strategy vs. Governance

Timing salary expansions with election cycles suggests an overemphasis on short-term voter appeasement, sacrificing long-term fiscal health for electoral gains.

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Practical Advice for Policy Makers

Prioritize Transparent Financial Planning

Governments should allocate adequate resources to payroll systems before hiring sprees, ensuring wages can be disbursed as agreed. This approach avoids creating unresolved financial liabilities for subsequent administrations.

Modernize Salary Structures

Revising outdated frameworks like the Single Spine Salary Structure ensures salaries keep pace with economic changes and labor demands, reducing bureaucratic delays.

Public Accountability Mechanisms

Establishing independent audits of recruitment and payroll spending can enhance accountability, deterring politicized employment practices.

Engage Stakeholders Proactively

Including labor unions and financial experts in policy design promotes transparency and reduces disputes over wages and job allocations.

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Points of Caution

Risk of Public Unrest

Unpaid workers, particularly in critical sectors like healthcare, risk causing strikes or strikes-related disruptions, as seen in the nurses’ protests.

Challenges for Incoming Administrations

Incoming governments must balance resolving payroll crises with their own policy agendas, which can delay urgent reforms.

Potential for Low Public Trust

Repeated allegations of political interference in public finances erode trust in governance, complicating efforts to secure future electoral mandates.

Economic Drain on National Resources

Delays in salary payments strain both employees and the economy, reducing consumer spending and economic activity.

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Comparison

NPP’s Approach vs. NDC’s Stance

The NPP’s alleged prioritization of electoral short-termism contrasts with the NDC’s focus on addressing systemic issues, though both face challenges in implementing reforms swiftly.

Lessons from Past Administrations

The Kufuor and Atta Mills examples show that while reforms can address structural issues, inconsistent enforcement and political interference undermine progress.

Precedents of Payroll Mismanagement

Other African nations have faced similar payroll disputes tied to political transitions, highlighting the need for regional accountability standards.

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Legal Implications

Contractual Obligations and Labor Laws

In Ghana, public sector employment contracts require timely wage disbursement. Delays may constitute breaches of contractual agreements, exposing the government to legal action under labor laws.

Accountability for Political Appointments

If proven intentional, the NPP’s alleged failure to allocate funds for public sector salaries could lead to investigations, though sovereignty and political immunity may limit consequences.

Precedents for Salary Delays

Courts have previously ruled in favor of public sector workers in similar disputes, emphasizing the state’s duty to fulfill contractual pay obligations.

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Conclusion

The unpaid nurses’ crisis in Ghana exemplifies the political and fiscal challenges inherent in managing public employment. Dr. Rashid Pelpuo’s accusations against the NPP underscore enduring tensions in Ghana’s political landscape, where electoral strategies often overshadow governance. While the NDC advocates for resolving the payroll backlog, historical parallels and systemic issues demand deeper reforms to ensure accountability and sustainability. The upcoming months will reveal whether these reforms materialize, restoring public confidence and setting a precedent for transparent leadership.

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