Accountability Forum urges Mahama to prioritise competence in appointments  

A civil society group, Accountability Forum, has urged the Appointments Committee to prioritise competence and experience in selecting individuals for executive positions under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama.

In a statement issued in Accra today, the group emphasised that appointing qualified candidates would strengthen the government’s efforts to achieve its developmental objectives and maintain the goodwill of the people.  

Speaking on behalf of the group, its spokesperson, Kwame Nyatefe, cautioned against compromising on qualifications, warning that doing so could derail the administration’s progress.  

“We wish to appeal to President John Dramani Mahama and his appointing committee to, without let or hindrance, consider only our brothers and sisters who qualify for the various jobs available,” Mr Nyatefe stated.  

The group pledged its unwavering support for the government’s commitment to improving the wellbeing of Ghanaians. It also commended President Mahama for the appointments made thus far, describing them as promising.  

“So far, so good,” the statement read, acknowledging the progress made by the President in assembling his team.  

Turning its attention to the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), the Accountability Forum called for the appointment of an experienced and proven leader to tackle the challenges facing the cocoa sector.  

The group stressed the importance of appointing a qualified individual to help the nation achieve its target of producing one million tonnes of cocoa this year.  

“We need somebody who must support in achieving the dreams of one million tonnes of cocoa this year,” the statement said.  

Highlighting past inefficiencies, the group cautioned against a repeat of the perceived “trial-and-error” approach witnessed under the previous administration.  

“We don’t want a try-and-error at the cocoa sector as in the previous administration,” it concluded.