Security analyst and consultant, Richard Kumadoe, has backed President John Dramani Mahama’s constitutional authority to appoint heads of the country’s security services, describing the current system as both practical and effective for Ghana’s governance.
His comments follow a ruling by the Supreme Court of Ghana dismissing a lawsuit filed by IMANI Africa.
The think tank had challenged what it described as the President’s unfettered power to terminate and replace heads of state security agencies when a new administration takes office, arguing that such actions could undermine institutional independence and continuity.
Speaking on The Public Sphere show on Radio Univers, Mr. Kumadoe said Ghana’s current appointment model has contributed significantly to stability within the country’s security architecture.
“I agree perfectly that it should be the president who should be appointing the security head. That is the best way that I have seen it so far. It has worked for us,” he said.
While supporting the President’s authority to make such appointments, he stressed the need for qualified and experienced personnel to be selected for leadership positions within the security services.
“What we need to do as a nation is that the president must appoint people who have worked within the security services or who are serving officers. And if you do so, you are going to reap the benefit,” he added.
He cautioned against appointing individuals solely on the basis of academic or managerial credentials without practical experience in security operations.
“If you appoint people who come and say they are going to use their management skills they learned in MBA or MSc or PhD, you will get it wrong. Because having a PhD in criminal prosecution is different from having an officer who is a criminal investigator,” he noted.
Mr. Kumadoe further called on successive governments to allow security leaders the space to strengthen their institutions without undue political interference.
“If you look at the crop of people now, these are officers who have distinguished themselves, and they are getting the results. My hope and prayer is that the politicians will allow them, as they have done so far, to build their structures, build capacity, and ensure that their institutional outlook is enhanced. Ghana will be a better place for all of us,” he concluded.
The debate over presidential appointments to security agencies has gained renewed attention following IMANI Africa’s legal challenge, which sought to limit the President’s power to dismiss and replace security heads at the start of a new administration.
However, the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the case has left the current appointment framework intact.
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Story by Mimi Sapong | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
