CDD Exposes Governance Gaps, Violence, and Legal Loopholes in Mahama Administration’s First Year – Life Pulse Daily

Introduction

In a comprehensive review of Ghana’s democratic transition, the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has highlighted persistent challenges in governance, public safety, and institutional stability during the first year of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration. This analysis sheds light on systemic issues that continue to undermine Ghana’s democratic progress and calls for urgent reforms to strengthen the country’s transition processes.

Key Points

Background

Ghana has long been celebrated as a beacon of democracy in West Africa, with peaceful transfers of power between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) since the Fourth Republic began. However, beneath this democratic veneer lie recurring challenges that threaten institutional stability and public trust.

The Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845) was designed to formalize and sanitize the handover process between administrations. While it has brought some order to the highest levels of government, implementation gaps at lower levels of the state apparatus have allowed disruptive practices to persist.

Analysis

Persistent Violence and Political Reprisals

CDD-Ghana’s review reveals that the 2025 transition was “not different from previous ones,” characterized by contestation, violence, and governance disruptions. The organization documented several alarming incidents:

– Destruction of Electoral Commission result sheets in multiple constituencies
– Attacks on poll workers during the transition period
– What the report describes as “ineffective police containment branding”
– A climate of fear and uncertainty preceding President Mahama’s inauguration

The most striking incident involved NDC supporters storming the offices of the Ghana National Gas Company on December 10, 2024. The situation escalated to the point where police and military personnel had to deploy warning shots to disperse the crowd.

What makes these incidents particularly concerning is the pattern of impunity. As CDD-Ghana notes, “almost no one has been held accountable for clearly criminal acts,” creating a culture where political violence becomes normalized during transitions.

Vigilante Groups and Institutional Disruption

The review highlights how party-affiliated vigilante groups have become a recurring feature of Ghana’s political transitions. These groups, operating with apparent impunity, illegally entered public institutions attempting to:

– Remove outgoing political appointees
– Secure employment allegedly promised by the incoming administration
– Assert control over state resources and facilities

Even after President Mahama’s swearing-in on January 15, 2025, CDD-Ghana observed that such incidents continued. The organization issued a public statement urging the new government and the NDC to disband these vigilante groups and allow police to maintain law and order.

Constitutional and Legal Gaps

Beyond the visible violence, CDD-Ghana identifies deeper structural problems in Ghana’s constitutional and legal framework. While the Presidential Transition Act has brought some order to apex-level transitions, it has “only partially achieved its goal.”

Several critical gaps remain:

**Last-Minute Appointments and Fiscal Commitments**: Outgoing governments frequently make appointments, sign contracts, and commit funds during the transition window. The incoming administration’s response—revoking what it termed “last-minute appointments” made after January 7, 2025—created significant disruption, particularly affecting newly recruited public service workers and unemployed youth.

**Local Governance Paralysis**: The review documents how mass dismissals and abrupt directives during transitions create operational paralysis. When Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) are directed to hand over to District Coordinating Directors upon the new president’s assumption of office, it disrupts the functioning of District Security Councils and other local governance mechanisms.

**State Enterprise Instability**: Similarly, dissolving boards and removing chief executives of state-owned enterprises can halt even purely commercial operations, sometimes with contractual and financial consequences. The review notes that replacing a board, appointing a chief executive, or confirming a new MMDCE can take six months to a year, compounding governance uncertainty.

**Presidential Appointment Sequencing**: The Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463) requires presidential staff appointments to be made in consultation with the Council of State. Since incoming presidents typically need to constitute their own Council of State before making substantive appointments, key presidential staff often serve in an interim capacity for extended periods.

Practical Advice

For policymakers and stakeholders seeking to address these challenges, CDD-Ghana’s recommendations offer a roadmap for reform:

1. **Constitutional Amendments**: Support proposals to amend Chapter Eight of the Constitution to restrict certain actions during the transition period, including urgent appointments, contracts, and fiscal commitments.

2. **Fixed-Term Appointments**: Advocate for fixed-term appointments for key officials that are not coterminous with the President’s tenure, reducing politicization and disruption during transitions.

3. **Extended Transition Act**: Push for revisions to the Presidential Transition Act to extend its scope beyond the Presidency to encompass public and civil service and local government structures.

4. **State Enterprise Oversight**: Strengthen oversight of state enterprises through the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) to ensure continuity and accountability.

5. **Vigilante Group Disbandment**: Support civil society calls for political parties to disband vigilante groups and allow professional law enforcement to maintain order.

6. **Accountability Mechanisms**: Demand that authorities hold individuals accountable for criminal acts during transitions to deter future violence.

FAQ

Conclusion

CDD-Ghana’s comprehensive review of the Mahama administration’s first year reveals that despite Ghana’s reputation as a democratic leader in West Africa, significant governance challenges persist. The recurring patterns of violence, institutional disruption, and legal loopholes during transitions threaten the country’s democratic consolidation and public trust in state institutions.

The organization’s call for structural reforms is both timely and necessary. Without addressing these systemic issues—from vigilante group disbandment to constitutional amendments and extended transition protocols—Ghana risks seeing its democratic gains eroded by instability, economic risk, and declining public confidence.

As Ghana approaches future electoral cycles, the implementation of CDD-Ghana’s recommendations could mark a turning point in the country’s democratic journey, transforming transitions from periods of uncertainty and disruption into exemplars of institutional maturity and constitutional governance.

Sources

– Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) official reports and statements
– Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845)
– Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463)
– Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) proposals
– State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) documentation
– Ghana National Gas Company incident reports
– Electoral Commission records on transition violence
– Public statements from President John Dramani Mahama’s administration

*Disclaimer: The views, comments, opinions, contributions, and statements made by readers and contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.*