PAHS 408

PUBLIC PERSONNEL
ADMINISTRATION
Session 2 – PUBLIC PERSONNEL
ADMINISTRATION IN GHANA
Lecturer: Dr. Emmanuel Y M Seidu, UGBS
Contact Information: eymseidu@ug.edu,gh/seidu.mahama9@gmail.com
 Session Overview
• This session provides an understanding of the context within
which PPA occur in the Ghanaian environment.
• It provides the various factors that shape systems of managing
public personnel in the Ghanaian public sector.
• The session also provides the legal and constitutional
framework that governs personnel management in Ghana
with specific reference from the 1992 Constitution and the
Labour Act of Ghana which sets the framework for industrial
relations in Ghana.

Slide 2
 Session Outline

The key topics to be covered in this session are as follows:

• Legal Framework of PPA in Ghana

• 1992 Constitution and PPA in Ghana
• Code of conduct for the Ghana Civil Service

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 3

 Session Objectives

Lesson Objectives:
By the end of this session you should be able to:
• Explain the various sources of human resource management
policy
• Explain what the Constitution says about the need for HR
management issues
• Explain the guiding principles for public servants
• Understand work ethics in the Ghana’s civil service

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 4

 Reading List
• Abdulai, A. I. (2004). ‘‘The Context of Human Resource
Management in the Ghanaian Public Sector,’’ African
Administrative Studies, 62: 23-47.
• Abdulai, I. A. (2000). ‘‘Human Resource Management in
Ghana: Prescriptions and Issues Raised by the Fourth
Republican Constitution,’’ International Journal of Public
Sector Management, 13(5): 447-486.
• Ghana Labour Act, 2003 Act 651.
• Civil Service Act, 1993
• 1992 Constitution of Ghana

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 5

 Topic One

PUBLIC PERSONNEL
ADMINISTRATION IN GHANA

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 6

 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
Legal Framework of PPA in Ghana
• Human resource management does not take place in a vacuum.
• There are several contexts that influence human resource
management: Economic, Social, cultural, Technological, Political
context etc.
• The political context is more complex than any other context
• The political context entails the various decisions, policies of
government and the regulatory roles it plays in human resource
management.
• Human resource management is carried out within a regulatory
framework of laws, rules and regulations of Government
• These types of regulations influence every process of the Human
resource department including: hiring, training, compensation,
termination and much more.
Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 7
 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
Legal Framework of PPA in Ghana
• Human resource issues in the public sector is regulated by:
• 1992 Constitution of Ghana
• Civil Service Act, 1993
• Fair Wages and Salaries Act
• Single Spine Pay Policy
• Human Resources Policy and Procedures Manual for Public
Service
• Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651)

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 8

 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
1992 Constitution and PPA
• The Constitution contains a number of provisions which
provide a basis for sound human resource management
policies in Ghanaian public organisations.

• Chapter 6 of the Constitution enjoins citizens, Parliament, the

President, the Judiciary, the cabinet etc., to implement policy
decisions in such a way as to create a just and free society.

• The Directive Principles of state policies (chapter 6) touch on

relevant issues such as the need to uphold the dignity of the
human being and to avoid discriminatory practices of all forms.
Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 9
 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
1992 Constitution and PPA
• Recruitment and Selection
• The 1992 Constitution as well as 1993 Civil service law advocates for the
merit system approach to Recruitment and Selection: “No person shall be
appointed to a civil service post unless he possesses the qualifications
approved for entry to that post”.
• Thus recruitment and selection into public organizations should be based
strictly on merit through open and competitive procedures
• Other provisions on recruitment and selection include:
– No discrimination based on origin, gender, religion, etc (Article 35 (5))
– No discrimination against the disabled (Article 29 (4))
– Regional balance in appointments (Article 35 (6b))
– Gender balance in appointments (Article 35 (6b))
– Equal access to recruitment (Article 218 (b))

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 10

 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
1992 Constitution and PPA
• Women and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
• The focus of gender issues in Ghana today is to create the necessary
environment for women to be in the mainstream and play a more
vigorous role in the socio-economic activities in the country,
especially in top decision making.
• This point has not escaped the attention of the framers of the Fourth
Republic Constitution.
• Some issues addressed by the Constitution include:
– Gender balance in appointments (Article 35 (6b))
– Equal rights to training for women (Article 27(3))
– Welfare of working mothers (Article 27 (1))
– Facilities for children below school-going age (Article 27 (2))
Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 11
 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
1992 Constitution and PPA
• Compensation and Benefits
• Some issues addressed by the Constitution include:
– Fair and realistic remuneration (Article 36(2a))
– Tax exemption on pensions earnings (Article 199 (3))
– Paid public holidays (Article 24 (2))
– Paid leave to women before and after childbirth (Article 27 (1))

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 12

 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
1992 Constitution and PPA
• Ethical Issues
• There has been a renewed global interest in ethical issues in recent times.
• Unethical practices including corruption and fraud are being given much more
attention these days than before.
• Ethical issues are at the heart of human resource management.
• They are mainly concerned with fairness, justice, thoughtfulness and social
responsibility.
• Public officials are regarded as the custodians of public trust and are therefore
expected to exhibit the highest standard of ethics and accountability.
• Some issues addressed by the Constitution include:
– Avoidance of conflict of interest (Article 284)
– Declaration of assets and liabilities by public officials (Article 286)
– Judicious use of discretionary power (Article 296)
– Eradication of corrupt practice and abuse of power (Article 35 (8))
– Investigations on unfair recruitment (Article 218 (b))
Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 13
 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
1992 Constitution and PPA
• Employee Rights and Welfare
• The Constitution has addressed a number of issues with regard to employee
rights and welfare.
• As the supreme law of the Fourth Republican Constitution provides, among
other things, for
– equality before the law (Article 2 (1))
– The right to work for limited hours (Article 24 (1))
– the right to work under satisfactory conditions (Article 24 (1)),
– the right to receive equal pay for equal work, (Article 24 (1))
– the right to join or form a trade union (Article 24 (3))
– the right to rest and leisure (Article 24 (2))
– Respect for human rights (Article 35 (4))
– the right of the aggrieved to seek redress (Article 23), and
– the right to assemble and take part in processions and demonstrations.
Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 14
 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
1992 Constitution and PPA
• Human Resource Development
• Human resource development is the process of increasing the
knowledge, the skills and the capacities of all people in the society
(Harbisson and Myers, 1964, p. 2)
• Prescriptions and issues on human resource development raised by
the constitution include the following:
– Provision of educational facilities at all levels
– Free and compulsory universal basic education (FCUBE)
– Development of free vocational training
– Equal access to pre-university and
– Opportunity for lifelong learning

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 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana

ACTIVITY

What practical steps must Ghana take to ensure effective human resource
development for rapid national development?

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 16

 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana
Code of Conduct for the Ghana Civil Service
• Civil servants unlike other citizens need to obey certain
principles in their work in addition to national laws and
regulations.
• These are meant to ensure that they do their work diligently.
• In evaluating the behaviour of employees in the public sector,
such actions will be considered worthwhile if they are in line
with these principles.

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 17

 Code of Conduct for the Ghana Civil
Service
Guiding principles of civil servants
• Selflessness – Civil servants should take decisions solely in terms of the
public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other
material benefit for themselves, their family or their friends.
• Integrity – Civil servants should not place themselves under any financial or
other obligation to any individuals or organizations that might influence
them in the performance of their officials duties including awarding of
contracts.
• Justice and Fairness – In carrying out public business including making
appointments, awarding contracts, or, recommending individuals for rewards
and benefits, civil servants should make choices based solely on merit.
• Accountability – Civil servants shall be responsible to both the Government
(employer) and the public (customer) for their decisions and actions, and
must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 18
 Code of Conduct for the Ghana Civil
Service
Guiding principles of civil servants
• Leadership – Civil servants should strive to excel in all their
endeavours; be an example to others and encourage others to
follow their steps.

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 19

 Code of Conduct for the Ghana Civil
Service
Work Ethic in the Ghana Civil Service
• Civil servants are expected to develop a strong work ethic so as to
combat negative work habits.
• Civil servants are expected not to engage in negative work ethics such
as:
– Sleeping on the job during scheduled working hours
– Being at work but doing no work
– Being deliberately and unduly slow in carrying out an activity or assignment
– Using or exaggerating sickness to avoid duty or work
– Letting time pass without doing anything useful or constructive
– Training, selling or transacting private financial business on the premises or
organisations
– Engaging in long private conversation with colleagues
– Receiving and entertaining social visits
Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 20
 Code of Conduct for the Ghana Civil
Service
Work Ethic in the Ghana Civil Service
– Receiving and entertaining social visits
– Bringing babies and children to office
– Performing unofficial duties or activities during office hours
– Reading newspapers and working lotto numbers
– Drunkenness on the job and/or being under the influence of narcotic
drugs
– Eating in office during official working hours; and
– Keeping the radio loud as to disturb co-workers

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 21

 Public Personnel Administration in
Ghana

ACTIVITY:

 What is your assessment of these principles and codes of

conduct vis-à-vis the work ethics of public sector employees?
Has these contributed to making the work ethics in the public
sector better?

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 22

 SUMMARY
In this session, we have learnt that:
• There are several contexts that influence human resource
management: Economic, Social, cultural, Technological,
Political context etc.
• The political context is more complex than any other context
• Human resource management is carried out within a
regulatory framework of laws, rules and regulations of
Government
• Human resource issues in the public sector is regulated
by:1992 Constitution of Ghana; Civil Service Act, 1993; Fair
Wages and Salaries Act; Single Spine Pay Policy; Human
Resources Policy and Procedures Manual for Public Service;
Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651)

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 23

 SUMMARY
In this session, we have learnt that:
• The 1992 Constitution contains provisions on human resource
issues in relation to recruitment and selection, compensation
and benefits, women and equal employment opportunities,
employee rights and welfare, human resource management
development, ethical issues etc.

• There exist code of conduct for Ghana’s Civil Service.

• There are guiding principles and work ethics that civil servants
should adhere and exhibit

Dr Emmanuel Y M Seidu Slide 24