Executive Director of the Ghana Chapter of the AfriKan Continental Union Consult (ACUC), Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to ensure his second term in government is driven by competence rather than political affiliation or loyalty.
According to him, while President Mahama’s return to office has shown signs of economic stabilisation and inclusive engagement with nonpartisan experts in that field, inconsistent performance across state institutions poses a serious threat to sustained national progress.
Writing to the President in a policy advisory titled “From Mandate to Measurable Outcomes: A Counsel on Competence, Governance, and Sustained Trust,” Dr. Anyagre noted that although some sectors, particularly the economic team, are showing focus, others continue to decline.
“However, a critical threat to this promise is the starkly uneven performance of our state institutions. While economic teams show commendable focus, other sectors languish or regress. This divergence often stems from appointments valuing political loyalty over proven expertise, and from a culture where weak performance scrutiny allows some to occupy offices without delivering value.”
He warned that such inconsistencies undermine the integrity of governance and erode the goodwill currently enjoyed by the administration.
“The central question, therefore, is not one of intention, but of implementation: How can your administration ensure that every ministry, department, and agency is defined by competence, institutional memory, and measurable results—not political convenience?” he continued.
“The answer requires a deliberate, systemic shift to institutionalize performance-driven governance.
As a governance specialist – Mr President, you are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.”
As part of his recommendations, the governance specialist proposed a three-part framework, beginning with the establishment of an Independent Ministerial & Institutional Review Panel (IMIRP).
“Composed of credible experts from diverse fields (e.g., public administration, engineering, health, education), its mandate would be to conduct objective, quarterly assessments of institutional heads against clear, publicly communicated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tied to their core mandates.”
“This panel, inspired by the nonpartisan model of your economic engagements, would report directly to the Presidency and Parliament, insulating assessment from day-to-day political pressures.
Its findings must directly inform tenure, resource allocation, and strategic support.”
Dr. Anyagre then called for competence-based appointments across government, insisting that political considerations must be balanced with transparent vetting processes that assess technical expertise, managerial capacity, and institutional understanding.
“This process should actively tap into Ghana’s vast reservoir of seasoned professionals, both at home and abroad, creating a pipeline of talent based on merit.”
In addition, he proposed the strategic deployment of sectoral expertise, such as those from the Ghana Armed Forces.
“Leverage your authority as Commander-in-Chief to optimize national assets.
The proven engineering, logistical, and project management prowess within the Ghana Armed Forces, for instance, could be systematically deployed—under clear civilian oversight—to accelerate critical infrastructure projects in rural road construction and environmental protection, ensuring value-for-money and timely execution.”
Dr. Aziginaateeg stressed that the President’s mandate would ultimately be judged by results rather than rhetoric.
He stressed, “By institutionalizing a culture where competence is non-negotiable, performance is continuously measured, and accountability is transparent, you will secure more than political capital—you will build a lasting foundation of public trust and sustained national progress.”
