The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has formally withdrawn allegations of fraud he levelled against the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, regarding the ongoing security services recruitment exercise.

The retraction and apology were delivered on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, 4 March, following a directive by the First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, who had referred the Minority Leader to the Privileges Committee over claims deemed potentially contemptuous.

The referral was prompted by a complaint from the Interior Minister, who described the allegations as unfounded and harmful to his reputation.

Mr Afenyo-Markin had earlier alleged that the involvement of a third-party IT firm in the recruitment process amounted to a scam and imposed an unfair financial burden on applicants.

Addressing the House, the Minority Leader clarified his position and withdrew the claims.

“Mr Speaker, I will not do that to hurt him or tarnish his reputation, and if the text of my concern reflected so, it is hereby accordingly withdrawn. I assure you that concerns that will arise out of any matter shall be properly brought to his attention,” he stated.

In response, Mr Muntaka said the accusations had been distressing, particularly given their seriousness.

“It is painful to be wrongly accused and be labelled differently from the intention that you have, especially when it is connected with heavy wrongdoing. I am heavily hurt and heavily worried, but who am I to say that I will not accept when my colleague comes to apologise? I accept it wholeheartedly,” he said.

The Interior Minister further appealed to the Speaker to have the matter expunged from the official parliamentary record, expressing the hope that it would be treated as though it had not occurred.

The development brings a temporary close to the dispute, as both sides signal a willingness to move forward.

A total of 49,966 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots today in the Ayawaso East parliamentary by-election to choose a new representative in Parliament.

The poll follows the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Naser Toure Mahama, who passed away in January at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Candidates and Ballot Positions

At the close of nominations and balloting on February 12, 2026, the National Democratic Congress candidate, Baba Jamal, secured the first position on the ballot.

Ibrahim Iddrisu, representing the Liberal Party of Ghana, drew the second slot, while Yussif Baba Ali of the New Patriotic Party placed third.

Two independent candidates, Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Sanda and David Kannor, occupy the fourth and fifth positions respectively.

The outcome of today’s vote will determine who takes over the Ayawaso East seat in Parliament.

Electoral Commission Assures Readiness

The Electoral Commission of Ghana has expressed confidence in its preparedness for the exercise.

A Director of the Commission, Sam Dottoh Kwaah, indicated that all categories of election officials had been recruited and trained. He disclosed that two Biometric Verification Devices had been deployed to each of the 113 polling stations in the constituency.

According to him, ballot papers as well as Statement of Poll and Declaration of Results forms were printed and delivered to the constituency ahead of the polls.

Heavy Security Deployment

The Ghana Police Service has announced the deployment of about 80 officers to each polling station as part of measures to ensure a peaceful and orderly process.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Asong Ayrakwa, Deputy Nima District Police Commander, assured residents that adequate personnel would be on standby to respond to any emergency.

In the lead-up to the election, the police conducted a show of force and route march through the principal streets of the constituency. The exercise was aimed at reassuring residents, deterring potential disturbances, and demonstrating the Service’s readiness to maintain law and order before, during and after the vote.

Intense Campaigns Ahead of Poll

Political parties and candidates intensified their campaigns in the final days before the by-election. Campaign vans blaring music moved through inner communities, while supporters embarked on door-to-door engagements to canvass votes.

The NDC held a final rally last Sunday to energise its base and boost voter turnout, describing the contest as crucial. Party leaders acknowledged that turnout in by-elections is often low and urged supporters to come out in large numbers.

During the rally, the party’s National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, announced the expulsion of Umaru Sanda Mohammed from the NDC after he chose to contest as an independent candidate. He stated that the former member would be barred from contesting any party position for several years should he seek to return.

On the other side, senior figures of the NPP, including General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua and former General Secretary John Boadu, were spotted campaigning in parts of the constituency, including a neighbourhood popularly known as Gutter.

Historical Voting Pattern

Ayawaso East has traditionally been a stronghold of the NDC in recent elections.

In the 2024 parliamentary election, the late Alhaji Mahama secured 22,139 votes, representing 70.85 percent, while the NPP candidate polled 9,110 votes, or 29.15 percent.

In 2020, he garnered 23,583 votes, equivalent to 61.18 percent, defeating the NPP’s Peter Kwame Antwi Mireku, who obtained 14,966 votes.

Similarly, in the 2016 polls, he won with 23,407 votes, representing 62.10 percent, ahead of the NPP candidate and other minor party contenders.

As voting gets underway today, attention is firmly fixed on whether the constituency will maintain its voting trend or chart a new political direction.

The administration of John Dramani Mahama has revoked 541 public sector recruitments, appointments, and promotions made during the final days of the government led by Nana Akufo-Addo, following a detailed review by a presidential committee.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who described the process as a due diligence exercise aimed at ensuring compliance with established procedures rather than a political witch hunt.

Background to the Controversy

After the New Patriotic Party lost the December 7, 2024 general elections, concerns were raised over a surge in public sector appointments made during the transition period before the January 7, 2025 inauguration. Critics argued that the outgoing administration hurried several recruitments during its final weeks in office, a practice that has frequently drawn debate during political transitions in Ghana.

According to the Mahama administration, it requested a joint review of appointments made during the transition period, but that appeal was not acted upon.

Upon assuming office, the Chief of Staff issued a directive instructing public institutions to revoke all appointments made after December 7, 2024. The directive sparked mixed reactions, with some observers warning that it could affect legitimately recruited staff.

Committee Review and Findings

To address those concerns, a presidential committee was constituted to examine the appointments on a case by case basis. The committee reviewed recruitment processes across 36 institutions, 28 of which had begun their hiring procedures before the elections.

In total, 2,080 recruitments, appointments, and promotions were examined. Out of that number, 879 had already been revoked by various institutions in compliance with the earlier directive. The remaining 1,201 cases were left pending for further assessment.

Following its review, the committee recommended that 1,539 appointments be upheld, representing cases that met procedural requirements and had offer letters issued before December 7, 2024, achieving at least 80 percent compliance with established guidelines.

However, 541 cases were recommended for revocation. These were found to have concluded after the December 7 elections and failed to meet required procedural standards.

Interestingly, the number of revocations recommended by the committee is lower than the 879 initially cancelled by institutions. Mr Kwakye Ofosu explained that this difference resulted from special considerations granted to vulnerable individuals, particularly persons with disabilities recruited into the Ghana Education Service.

He noted that although some of these appointments did not strictly meet procedural requirements, enforcing immediate revocation would have imposed significant hardship. As a result, affected individuals have been permitted to regularise their recruitment processes to remain in public service.

Government’s Position

The presidential spokesperson was critical of the previous administration, stating that it was aware that certain appointments did not meet basic requirements but proceeded to approve them regardless. He emphasized that the current exercise was conducted without malice and was necessary to uphold the rule of law and strengthen accountability within the public sector.

The development marks one of the most significant administrative reviews undertaken since the change in government, and it is expected to continue shaping discussions around public sector governance and transition practices in Ghana.