Mahama takes a swipe at Akufo-Addo’s ‘nepotism, bloated govt’

Former President John Mahama has accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of nepotism in the appointment of persons serving in his government.

Mr. Mahama said the current development where family members of President Akufo-Addo have been appointed to occupy key government positions makes a mockery of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s criticisms of him [Mahama] when the party was in opposition.

"The thing is in politics, be careful what you say because tomorrow it will come to haunt you; and that is exactly what is haunting them [NPP], family and friends government, when it wasn't true. Now today relatives everywhere and then when you raise it, nepotism, they say no, it doesn't matter if it's the President's relative, it depends on whether they are qualified."

"Oh, whether they are qualified, who doesn't have qualified relatives? I have degree holders and PhD holders in my family, and that it what I said, if it was getting qualified relatives, oh! I have plenty of them." he said.

The former President also took on President Akufo-Addo for running a "large government" and questioned the silence of civil society groups on developments in the country under the NPP.

"Lean government, lean government, when you over appoint and there are too many, you say it's not the quantity, its the quality. So who is judging the quality, you? You know but its not good for our corporate governance, because you don't change the rules depending on who is in power. Ghana belongs to all of us, whoever is president, whoever forms the governance you must hold them to the same standards of accountability, and civil society organisations have gone quiet," he said.