ACP Addo-Danquah’s appointment ‘not politically smart’ – Prof. Gyampo

A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Yaw Gyampo has described the appointment of new CID boss, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah as a decision which is “not politically smart”.

According to Prof. Gyampo, ACP Addo-Danquah’s professional legitimacy and authority have been undermined considering the controversies surrounding her appointment as the CID boss.

In a facebook post, the lecturer explained that, even though he does not doubt the competence of the officer, he feels there are other equally competent and senior officers who could have been appointed for strategic reasons.

“This is a government that has been accused wrongfully or rightly to be staffed by family relations. To deal with this reality or perception, appointment powers must be exercised in a manner that clearly show a determination to shed this unfortunate tag,” he stated.

He further questioned how the ordinary Ghanaian who strongly believes there is a family relation between the new CID boss and the President would be made to understand the fact that the two are not related.

“My checks reveal that the new appointee is a Mrs and has no relations with the President. The point however is, how do you explain this to convince the ordinary Ghanaian who has no research information?” he queried.

Read the full statement below

This particular particular appointment is not politically smart. Anyone who tells me the executive has no hand in it may, to say the least, be displaying sheer political naivety.

The circumstances surrounding the appointment undermines the legitimacy and authority of the officer involved.

I do not doubt the competence of the officer. But I feel there were other equally competent and even more senior officers who could have been appointed for strategic reasons.

This is a government that has been accused wrongfully or rightly to be staffed by family relations. To deal with this reality or perception, appointment powers must be exercised in a manner that clearly show a determination to shed this unfortunate tag.

My checks reveal that the new appointee is a Mrs. and has no relations with the President. The point however is, how do you explain this to convince the ordinary Ghanaian who has no research information?

Sometimes it becomes politically wise to hold on to the appointment of people who bears the same name, not because they do not qualify, but because it is the smartest thing to do in order to scale over needless accusations of nepotism and "family relational politics".

So, my issue has nothing to do with the woman's competence. Rather, I am thinking about the negative perception it creates for the government's image.



Another important issue that is worrying in Ghanaian politics is the tendency to appoint juniors to head seniors. In all Public Service Institutions whose heads are appointed by the President, there has always been the tendency to appoint lower ranks as heads.

Political appointment is the prerogative of the executive and he can decide to appoint anybody to any position. But, by-passing seniors and appointing juniors to head public institutions, could make the appointees easily pliable and manipulable by the appointing authority.

It makes them candidates for removal anytime power changes hands. It undermines their own legitimacy (the psychological belief that one is the rightful person to be appointed). Again, it becomes humanly quite difficult for the appointee to enjoy the support and cooperation from his superiors who might have felt humiliated and disappointed for not being appointed.

Max Weber speaks against these tendencies in his postulations on meritocracy in public service. You cannot head a public university as lecturer or even senior lecturer where there are full professors in active service, NEVER.

Let's think about these in all sobriety as a nation.

Yaw Gyampo,

A31 Prabiw Street

PAV Ansah Street

Saltpond