General News of Thursday, 16 November 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Why are civil servants welcoming Ofori-Atta in party-cheerleading-rally style? - NDC MP worried

Staff of the ministry lineup at the forecourt to welcome Ofori-Atta from parliament Staff of the ministry lineup at the forecourt to welcome Ofori-Atta from parliament

Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, an opposition lawmaker has reacted to a video showing civil servants welcoming the finance minister back to his office after he delivered the 2024 Budget to Parliament on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.

In the video which has gone viral on social media, a lone dispatch rider leads a small convoy including the minister's car as workers of the ministry line up on both sides of the driveway applauding the arrival of the minister.

Ofori-Atta gets out and acknowledges the staff before heading into his office.

The MP is worried over how civil servants who are supposed to be neutral, engage in what he called 'political party-cheerleading-rally style.'

His post on Twitter (now X) also averred that it appeared that the neutrality and professionalism expected of the civil service had been lost.

"These are supposed to be NEUTRAL PUBLIC SERVANTS working at the Ministry of Finance apparently welcoming back Ken Ofori Atta from Parliament in a political party-cheerleading-rally style.

"The sanctity & demand of our Public & Civil Servants to be neutral & professional is no more," his post accompanied by a TV3 video read.

The video has also attracted mixed reactions on the part of social media users criticizing the minister and staff for the incident.