Some of the members of Mahama's transition team
President-Elect John Dramani Mahama announced an 11-member transition team to liaise with the representatives of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government in accordance with the Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), to ensure a smooth transfer of political power to him.
The transition process is very important because it will help the incoming president and his government know the true state of the country they are inheriting.
As such, the president-elect has named stalwarts of his party, with expertise in finance, governance, and public administration to lead the transition process.
Below are the appointees of Mahama on the Joint Transition Team:
1. Julius Debrah - Co-Chairperson
Julius Debrah, born April 4, 1966, is a Ghanaian politician and a former Chief of Staff to former President Mahama.
In February 2015, Julius Debrah was appointed Chief of Staff by President John Dramani Mahama to replace Prosper Bani.
Debrah has also previously served as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Eastern Regional Minister of Ghana, and Greater Accra Regional Minister.
Debrah studied at Mpraeso Secondary School, then moved to Achimota Secondary School for A Levels from 1987 to 1989. Following this, he gained admission to the University of Ghana, where he obtained a BA in Archaeology and Sociology.
Debrah spent 18 years of his working life in the real estate and agriculture sectors. A native of Obomeng Kwahu, Debrah is married with two children.
He was a member of the NDC Campaign Steering Committee for the 2024 election.
2. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah - Member
Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, widely known as Chairman General, is the National Chairman of the NDC. Before taking on the chairmanship role, Asiedu Nketiah served as the General Secretary of the party for about 17 years.
He’s a former banker, Member of Parliament, and a trained teacher. Asiedu Nketiah’s political career started in 1989 when he was elected to represent Seikwa at the first Wenchi District Assembly.
Asiedu contested as MP for Wenchi West constituency and served as MP for 12 years. During his term in Parliament, he served on several Committees such as: Appointments Committee, Finance Committee, Public Accounts Committee, Mines and Energy Committee, and Minority spokesperson on Food, Agriculture, and Cocoa Affairs.
From 1997 to 2001, he served as a Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture (Crops). He was elected to the Consultative Assembly, which drafted the 1992 constitution.
Asiedu Nketiah was born on December 24, 1956, at Seikwa in the Brong Ahafo region to the family of Kwaku Asiedu. Asiedu Nketiah gained admission to the School of Administration (now the Business School) at the University of Ghana, which he completed in 1986.
He was the chairman of the NDC Campaign Steering Committee for the 2024 election.
3. Fifi Fiavi Kwetey - Member
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey is the current General Secretary of the NDC and was a member of the NDC Campaign Steering Committee for the 2024 election.
He served as the Member of Parliament for the Ketu South Constituency in the Volta Region for two terms from January 7, 2013, to January 6, 2021.
He has held various positions in NDC governments, including Minister for Transport, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Minister of State at the Presidency in Charge of Financial and Allied Institutions, and Deputy Minister of Finance.
He also served as Propaganda Secretary for the National Democratic Congress.
He holds a B.A. Hons from the University of Ghana and a Diplome Superieur Du Francais De Affaires, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Paris.
4. Dr. Callistus Mahama – Member/Secretary to the Transition Team
Dr. Callistus Mahama is an experienced public administrator and academic. He is a former Head of the Local Government Service of Ghana.
Dr. Callistus Mahama holds a PhD in Land Law and an MPhil in Land Economy, both from the University of Cambridge, England, United Kingdom.
He has previously served as Deputy Director and Head of the Accra Campus of the Institute of Local Government Studies, Deputy Director and Head of the Tamale Campus of the same Institute, and Lecturer at the Department of Land Economy of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
5. Dr. Valerie Sawyer - Member
Dr. Valerie Sawyer is the only female in the transition team appointed by President-Elect John Dramani Mahama. She was Mahama’s former advisor.
She was Deputy Chief of Staff during Mahama’s first term as president.
She has a background in medicine and public health.
She was a member of the NDC Campaign Steering Committee for the 2024 election.
6. Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi - Member
Prof. Kwamena Ahwoi, a statesman and academic, is a member of the Council of Elders of the NDC.
He has served in numerous positions in NDC governments, including Minister of Planning and Regional Economic Co-operation and Integration; Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Minister for Local Government and Rural Development.
He has played a significant role in shaping Ghana’s decentralization policies.
He was born on October 13, 1951. He studied Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) on a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University as his post-graduate course in 1975.
7. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson - Member
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson is the Minority Leader of Parliament and the Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency in the Central Region of Ghana.
Dr. Ato Forson is a former Deputy Minister for Finance. He is a fiscal economist, chartered accountant, tax practitioner, and entrepreneur with professional experience spanning two decades in both private and public sectors.
Cassiel Ato Forson obtained his first degree in accounting at the South Bank University in London. He holds a Master of Science in Taxation from the University of Oxford, UK, and another Master of Science degree in economics from KNUST.
He obtained a PhD in Business and Management (finance option) in September 2020 from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana.
8. Mahama Ayariga - Member
Mahama Ayariga is the current Member of Parliament for Bawku Central.
He has served in various roles in NDC governments, including: Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Minister for Information, Deputy Minister of Education, and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.
He holds a Master of Law (LLM) degree from the Harvard Law School in the United States of America and a Bachelor of Law (LLB) Degree from the University of Ghana, Legon.
9. Goosie Tanoh - Member
Goosie Tanoh is a founding member of the NDC. He was a key member of the NDC 2024 Campaign team - heading the economy sub-committee of the manifesto team.
He has served under various finance and economic boards of NDC governments, including being the executive director of Finance and Administration of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.
He holds a Bachelor of Law and Master of Law degrees from the University of Ghana and Northwestern University Law School in Chicago, Illinois, United States. He also holds a Certificate in Finance for Oil Industry Management (IHRDC) Washington DC, U.S.A.
10. Dr. Edward Omane Boamah - Member
Dr. Edward Omane Boamah is the Director of Elections and IT of the NDC and a prominent member of the NDC 2024 Campaign team
He is a former Minister of Communications and a medical doctor. He has also served as the Presidential Spokesperson. He has also previously served as a Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports and a Deputy Minister for Environment, Science and Technology.
He is an alumnus of the University of Ghana Medical School, where he trained as a Medical Doctor. He had a stint with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. In addition, he holds a master’s degree in Health Policy Planning and Financing from both the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
11. Edward Doe Adjaho - Member of the Transitional Advisory Council
Edward Doe Adjaho is a member of the Council of Elders of the NDC.
He is a former Member of Parliament for the Avenor-Ave Constituency in the Parliament of Ghana, serving the constituency for over two decade - from 1993 to 2013. He was the Speaker of the 6th Parliament in the 4th Republic of Ghana.
He obtained the LL.B. degree in 1984 before proceeding to the Ghana School of Law, where he trained to become a Barrister-at-Law in 1986.
He worked at the Attorney-General's department before turning to politics.
BAI/EK
Watch Mahama's full address after declared winner
Copyright © 1994 - 2024 GhanaWeb. All rights reserved.
