News
Create new jobs rather than dismissing innocent workers – Bawumia to Mahama
Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the last elections and former Vice President, Dr.Mahamadu Bawumia has expressed disappointment over what he describes as worrying development in the country.
In a statement yesterday, Dr.Bawumia criticised the revocation of employment among others supervised by President John Dramani Mahama.
“There is no reset by repeating or escalating what may have happened in the past,” Dr Bawumia added.
Read full statement below
WORRYING DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR COUNTRY: AN APPEAL TO H.E. PRESIDENT JOHN MAHAMA – DR BAWUMIA WRITES
This statement is released against a personal vow I made since leaving office. I made a personal affirmation to allow our new President and his government to get the needed space to get a hold of things and settle down quickly to tackle the important business of governance, and by extension nation building. Having been Vice President for the past eight years, I have come to appreciate the enormity of the task; a task that requires that those entrusted with the responsibility of governance, especially the President, get the needed support and composure to implement their vision for the betterment of our dear country.
Unfortunately, I need to speak up on recent developments that pose significant threats to our democracy. To look away whilst these ills persist is to abandon my responsibility to remind President Mahama and his government of the overriding duty to live by the democratic tenets envisioned in the 1992 Constitution and do justice and “right to all manner of persons”. When Ghanaians voted for change in the 2024 general elections, it manifested the desire to continue with national development, albeit with different people at the helm of affairs. It was within this spirit that I gave an early concession speech, urging all Ghanaians to support our new president as he attempts to make his contribution to the cumulative progress successive governments have chalked over the years.
Since the assuming office, however, the government of President Mahama has pursued a series of actions targeting Ghanaians who were legitimately employed during the previous administration. It is ironic that a party which campaigned on the wings of jobs for all Ghanaians is arbitrarily dismissing the same Ghanaians, rendering them jobless, just because a different government employed them to put their talents to bear on the nation’s development and earn income to cater for themselves and their families.
The least a party that campaigned on jobs could do under conditions of unemployment is to also innovate and create jobs rather than dismiss people.
Regrettably, these dismissals have been extended to directors who are public servants and not politicians. In some of the cases, the only reason for dismissal was that the persons whose livelihoods have been destroyed are known to or related to politicians as if to suggest that they cannot live independent professional lives, however qualified they are. There are also reports of government’s intention to terminate the appointments of persons performing critical jobs such security personnel, nurses, and teachers simply because they were appointed during the tenure of the previous administration. That will be most unfortunate.
Furthermore, there is a general atmosphere of insecurity with attacks on journalists, the use of our military to raid the homes of former government officials and communities, as well as mobs attacking innocent individuals and state institutions. This is rather reminiscent of a military takeover and not a peaceful democratic transition. These are certainly worrying times for our democracy, and the earlier action is taken to protect institutions and democratic practice, the better it would be for Ghana’s forward match.
Ghanaians understood the promise of change to mean discarding the ills associated with the governance of our nation since 1992 and also an opportunity to show the way for future governments. There is no reset by repeating or escalating what may have happened in the past. Therefore, I call on His Excellency President Mahama to be a president for all Ghanaians by putting a stop to these developments, reversing the unfair dismissals, and protecting all our citizens.
We must advance our democracy.
We must protect our state institutions.
We must uphold our Constitution.
Ghana can do better. Ghana must do better!
Thank you
A new international whitepaper on democracy in Africa has placed Ghana’s Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, at the centre of a major research study on the role of opposition parties in strengthening democratic governance across the continent.
The study is being conducted by the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP) in partnership with the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Ghana.
It uses Ghana’s 2025/2026 parliamentary session as a case study to examine how opposition parties can contribute to peace, development and democratic stability.
President of the ACCP, Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, said the research forms part of a wider continental project aimed at identifying successful governance models in Africa.
He explained that the chamber is interested in promoting positive African stories and finding practical democratic systems that other countries can adopt.
Mr. Dwomoh-Doyen said political differences should not create division or hostility among leaders and citizens.
He stated that despite belonging to different political sides, people must work together in the interest of national development.
According to him, Ghana’s democratic journey and parliamentary system made the country an important case for the study.
The whitepaper, titled “A Strong and Responsible Opposition in Africa: A Ghanaian Case Study (2025/2026 Review)”, reviews the Minority Leader’s parliamentary activities, including his statements, motions and media engagements.
Researchers are also conducting public opinion surveys in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale as part of the study.
Head of ACCP’s Liberia branch, Dr. Murphy T. Jackson, said African countries should formally recognise and support the office of the Leader of the Opposition through legal structures and institutional resources.
He noted that such systems would help reduce the chances of unconstitutional changes of government on the continent.
Head of Research at ACCP Ghana, David Adofo, described Ghana’s opposition institution as one of the strongest in Africa.
He said although the current research focuses on Ghana, future studies would examine opposition institutions in other African countries.
Deputy Secretary General of UPF-Ghana, Tegha King, stressed the importance of a responsible opposition in national development.
Speaking on behalf of the Universal Peace Federation and the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), he said opposition parties should not be seen as enemies of progress.
According to him, respectful debate, alternative policy ideas and cross-party dialogue are necessary for strong democratic institutions and national peace.
The research comes at a time when some African countries are experiencing political instability and military takeovers.
Despite these challenges, Ghana continues to be recognised as one of Africa’s stable democracies, having recorded several peaceful transfers of power since 1992.
The completed whitepaper will later be submitted to an international peer-reviewed journal, while the abstract has already been made available upon request.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NuGhana Expat Center to launch ‘AfroTango Platform’ to support diasporans in Ghana and Africa — Nana Kofi Opoku-Agyemang
The Executive Director of the NuGhana International Expat Center, Nana Kofi Opoku-Agyemang, has disclosed that the organisation is preparing to launch the “AfroTango Platform” to support diasporans with integration in Ghana and across Africa.
According to him, the platform is intended to help diasporans navigate African systems, which many often find difficult to understand after relocating from Western countries.
“The AfroTango Platform will provide a structured bridge, offering orientation, vetted service referrals, and a trusted community to help them integrate smoothly for business or relocation,” he said.
Mr. Opoku-Agyemang made the disclosure while speaking about a proposal submitted by the NuGhana International Expat Center to the government of President John Dramani Mahama for the establishment of a specialised multi-agency Diaspora Protection and Human Capital Task Force.
According to their statement, the proposal has been submitted to the President and shared with key institutions, including the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI), the Ministry of the Interior, the Office of National Security, the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of Diaspora Affairs, and the Black Star Experience Secretariat.
Mr. Opoku-Agyemang explained that the proposed task force would help protect diasporans and foreign nationals from organised fraud and exploitation while also helping the country benefit from their expertise, investments, and professional skills.
He noted that many diasporans relocating to Ghana often face challenges such as land disputes, business fraud, and difficulties finding trusted people to guide them through local systems.
President of the African Chamber of Content Producers (ACCP), Nana Dwomoh-Doyen Benjamin, who endorsed the proposal, described the initiative as timely and necessary.
According to him, the leadership of NuGhana understands the realities and expectations of diasporans because of their experience living in Western countries.
He appealed to the government to consider the proposal seriously, stating that it could help protect lives and investments while encouraging more diasporans to contribute to national development.
The statement identified key challenges facing diasporans, including organised land and business scams, the absence of a unified system to engage skilled professionals entering the country, and fears over investment security.
Some diasporans who spoke on condition of anonymity also welcomed the initiative and said a state-backed protection system would give them more confidence to relocate and invest in Ghana.
NuGhana said it has already built a human capital and risk database over the past four years to catalogue diasporans and foreign nationals according to their professions, skills, investment interests, and reported incidents.
The organisation added that it is ready to engage the President’s designated team to demonstrate its database and begin a pilot phase of the proposed framework.
By: Jacob Aggrey
