Accra, Ghana – President John Dramani Mahama has held a high-level consultative meeting with representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the Presidency to discuss the establishment of a Governance Advisory Council a key promise from his 2024 election campaign aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and democratic governance in Ghana.
During the meeting, President Mahama outlined the proposed council’s core responsibilities, stressing its role in monitoring government actions and advising on critical national issues such as human rights, corruption, justice, and overall governance standards.
“This council is a commitment to the Ghanaian people a promise to foster a more transparent and accountable government,” the President affirmed.
In a statement released after the meeting, the Presidency emphasized that President Mahama envisions the council as a collective of respected voices from civil society, religious institutions, traditional leadership, academia, labour, and ordinary citizens.
“President Mahama believes that by harnessing the wisdom and expertise of diverse sectors of Ghanaian society, we can establish a strong and credible institution that ensures governance aligns with the values and aspirations of the people,” the statement read.
As pledged during his campaign, the Governance Advisory Council will operate independently and will be mandated to publish an annual report assessing the state of human rights, corruption, and governance in Ghana.
The report is expected to be made publicly available and serve as both a mirror and a guide for the government to track its performance and make necessary corrections.
“This annual report will not be just another document gathering dust on a shelf,” President Mahama emphasized during his campaign trail in 2024. “It will be a living, breathing instrument for change holding us accountable and pushing us to do better in areas ranging from human rights violations and corruption to media freedom, torture, and crime.”
To advance this initiative, the President has appointed Dr. Valerie Sawyerr, Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs, to lead the government’s efforts in establishing the Governance Advisory Council.
