President John Dramani Mahama has met with representatives of various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the Presidency to discuss forming a Governance Advisory Council.
This council is a key promise from his 2024 election campaign to improve accountability and change how Ghana is governed.
President Mahama during the meeting explained the purpose of the council, highlighting its important role in monitoring and advising the government on issues like human rights, corruption, and governance.
“This council is a commitment to the Ghanaian people, a promise to foster a more transparent and accountable government,” he stated.
“President Mahama believes that by bringing together the wisdom and expertise of civil society, religious leaders, traditional authorities, academia, labour, and ordinary Ghanaians, we can create a powerful mechanism for ensuring that our governance truly reflects the values and aspirations of our nation,” a statement to the press after the meeting said.
As he promised during the campaign, the President wants the Governance Advisory Council to work as an independent body that will produce a yearly report on human rights, corruption, and governance in Ghana.
He said this report will be made public and will help the government track its progress and fix any issues.
“This annual report will not be just another document gathering dust on a shelf,” the President stated during his campaign engagements in 2024.
“It will be a living, breathing instrument for change, holding us accountable and pushing us to do better on issues ranging from human rights violations and corruption to media freedoms and the fight against torture and crime.”
Senior Presidential Advisor for Governmental Affairs, Dr Valerie Sawyerr, has been appointed to lead the government’s efforts to set up the council.
