By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
President John Dramani Mahama has sworn in members of the Governing Council of the National African Peer Review Mechanism (NAPRM).
Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony on February 10, 2026, President Mahama expressed Ghana’s readiness to subject itself to a thorough peer review process.
He noted that Ghana was among the first countries to accede to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), volunteer for assessment, and undergo a comprehensive peer review in 2006.
“It has been a source of pride for us that Ghana’s democracy, accountable governance and the values we are known for can be subjected to review by our peers,” the President said.
He described the mechanism as an important exercise that allows the country to assess progress made and identify interventions needed to improve governance.
According to him, the newly inaugurated council is expected to lead Ghana’s second-generation peer review next week on the sidelines of the African Union Summit scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“We are willing to do that, and we will be available to lead that process,” he assured.
President Mahama recalled that findings from Ghana’s first peer review highlighted significant disparities between the northern and southern parts of the country, which later informed the establishment of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to address development gaps and reduce migration from the north to the south.
“So, we want to know what has happened to those inequalities and the level of opportunities that have been created in other parts of the country,” he said.
The new Governing Council is chaired by Professor Akua Kuenyehia.
In a brief remark, Professor Kuenyehia expressed gratitude to the President and assured him of the council’s commitment to transparency and the independence of governance institutions.
Other members of the council include Dr Joseph Whittal, Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ); Mr Joseph Obeng, President of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations; Mr David Ofosu-Dorte, founder and senior partner of AB & David Africa; and Mrs Cornelia Amoah, an independent broadcast specialist and author.
The APRM is a voluntary, mutually agreed self-monitoring instrument established in 2003 by the African Union to promote good governance, political stability and sustainable development.
It facilitates national dialogue and self-assessment of policies across four thematic areas: democracy and political governance, economic governance and management, corporate governance, and socio-economic development.
