The Director for Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr. Kojo Asante, has raised concerns over recent security operations targeting former government officials. He warns that such actions risk undermining due process and democratic norms.
While acknowledging that President John Dramani Mahama’s administration has had a commendable start in its first 120 days, Dr. Asante stressed the need to uphold the rule of law and avoid heavy-handed tactics. “We need to follow due process,” he said, referencing the raids on former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s home and former Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison’s residence.
Dr. Asante criticized the use of masked officers, arguing that such tactics are inappropriate in a democratic society. “The whole idea of security officers covering their faces and entering people’s homes is just not right,” he stated. “We have to go back to the Emile Short Commission Report and what happened at Ayawaso West Wuogon. These were some of the things we were complaining about, and we just need to avoid these things.”
He added that concealing officers’ identities is only justified in exceptional cases, such as dealing with drug cartels, and even then, it’s not typical in a democracy. “If for nothing at all, you want to identify those who are carrying out lawful activities of the state. They shouldn’t be covered in their faces and all that,” he emphasized.
Dr. Asante concluded that while the administration’s start is promising, it’s essential to manage expectations and prioritize democratic norms. “We should remember that the 120-day commitment is a good start…We are not talking about outcomes yet. We should manage our expectations about what has been achieved so far,” he said.
