NDC Appointments: We prioritise competence over loyalty - Asiedu Nketiah
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah is the National Chairman of the NDC
The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has shed light on the criteria used for appointing public officials across various sectors in the ruling NDC government.
According to him, before the president makes any appointment, the competence and merit of the individual take precedence over party loyalty.
He explained that while it is reasonable to consider party loyalists for certain government positions in recognition of their sacrifices, appointing individuals who lack the necessary competence could undermine government operations and overall effectiveness.
“Party loyalists should not necessarily be incompetent. There are other party loyalists who are competent so if you prove to be incompetent, another party loyalist who is competent can replace you. We cannot allow government business to suffer because of party loyalty.
“That's why I told you that in determining the criteria for the selection, loyalty comes in, but competence ranks higher than loyalty because we have more people than positions available,” he said in an interview on JoyNews on June 25, 2025.
Asiedu Nketiah cited instances where multiple individuals vie for the same position, but cautioned that mistakes must be avoided by not prioritising party loyalty over merit.
When asked whether party members had accepted the stance of prioritising competence over loyalty, he responded in the affirmative.
“So, for each position we have about 20, 30 people who are qualified and so, if some are competent and still loyal, you don't leave them there and go and settle on somebody who is incompetent but loyal. So, if you cannot deliver, then you have to give way for somebody who is equally loyal but competent. They have accepted it,” he added.
His comments come in the wake of grievances from some party faithful who have bitterly lamented being sidelined in appointments, despite their contributions to the party’s electoral successes.
MAG/VPO
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