Civil servants endorsing political office aspirants should be stopped - Kwesi Pratt 'fires'

Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has kicked against public or civil servants endorsing political aspirants to win positions in their parties.

He condemned this act where civil servants like Chief Executive Officers of State agencies involve themselves with partisan issues as to even openly support the candidature of a particular aspirant.

Mr. Pratt admonished public officers to desist from such practices, explaining that it is demanded of persons who hold public offices to be neutral and not lean towards a particular political party even when they have their preferences and affiliations.

"Once you take that position, you are supposed to be serving the whole of the country, everybody irrespective of their political affiliation. So, immediately, it becomes important to tone down on your political affiliation," he said on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo".

Although he declined to mention names or the persons his message is targeted at, it could, however, be recalled that the Chief Executive Officer of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Sammi Awuku, weeks ago picked nomination forms on behalf of Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is contesting the flagbearership of the NPP.

This action by Sammi Awuku is perceived to be his endorsement for the Vice President to lead the NPP into the 2024 general elections.

But to Kwesi Pratt, "if you are a public servant or civil servant, you were not supposed to declare your party affiliation. If you are a public servant or civil servant and you declare your party affiliation, you were required to resign . . . but what is happening today is that someone who is a civil servant is openly partisan".

The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper added; "It is against the civil service code. It's against all the norms that I know. In previous times, you would be sacked if you did such a thing because you're supposed to be neutral given the job you're performing."

"Civil and public servants should be stopped" from engaging in open partisanship, he cautioned.