President John Mahama to Make His First 9 Appointments Within 24 Hours

Accra, Ghana — Following the declaration of results of the presidential election in accordance with Article 63 of the Constitution by the Electoral Commission, President -Elect Mr. John Dramani Mahama in adherence to the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), must make his first key appointments within 24 hours of the announcement. 

These appointments are mandated by Section 1 of Act 845, a critical legislative framework designed to ensure a seamless transfer of executive authority.

The Presidential Transition Act, 2012, requires that within 24 hours of the declaration of presidential election results:

The incumbent President appoints key members of the existing administration to serve on a Transition Team, including the Attorney-General, the Ministers responsible for Finance, Defence, Foreign Affairs, and National Security, among others.

Simultaneously, the President-elect is mandated to appoint an equal number of representatives to the Transition Team, who will assume roles mirroring those appointed by the incumbent.

Section 1(1)(b) of the Act empowers the President-elect to nominate individuals to key positions, including: 

• Head of the Staff of Office of the President-elect
• Member responsible for Presidential Affairs
• Member responsible for Legal Affairs
• Member responsible for Finance
• Member responsible for the Interior
• Member responsible for Defence
• Member responsible for Foreign Affairs
• Member responsible for Local Government
• Member responsible for National Security

These individuals form part of the Transition Team, which is co-chaired by the incumbent President and the President-elect or their delegated representatives.

In 2016, the then President elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo appointed the following individuals who ended being the substantive officers as members of his transition team: 

• Yaw Osafo Maafo as Representative of the President-elect.
• Frema Osei Opare as Head of the Staff of the Office of the President-elect.
• Gloria Akuffo as Member responsible for Legal Affairs.
• Ken Ofori-Atta as Member responsible for Finance.
• Ambrose Dery as Member responsible for the Interior.
• Dominic Nitiwul as Member responsible for Defence.
• Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey as Member responsible for Foreign Affairs.
• Hajia Alima Mahama as Member responsible for Local Government.
• Albert Kan-Dapaah as Member responsible for National Security.

Which members of the National Democratic Congress would end up being part of this transition team?