Veteran National Democratic Congress (NDC) member Dr. Tony Aidoo has candidly stated that he would prefer not to witness the period after President John Dramani Mahama’s tenure and the selection of the party’s next flagbearer.

In an interview with Accra-based Radio Gold on Wednesday, September 18, the 76-year-old reflected on Ghana’s political climate and his own readiness for what lies ahead.

“I don’t want to be here. Maybe by the time it comes to that point, I’ll be gone,” he said when asked about his thoughts on Mahama’s eventual successor.

Pressed further, Dr. Aidoo added, “No, I don’t want to… I’m old, though. I try, but I’m old. God has been good to me, but I wouldn’t mind if He takes me today.”

His remarks come at a time when the NDC is working to consolidate power and deliver on major promises, including a GH₵20 billion infrastructure programme and efforts to stabilise Ghana’s economy.

Dr. Aidoo, who previously served as Head of the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit at the Presidency, emphasised that the party’s fortunes after Mahama will depend heavily on the current administration’s performance.

“But whoever is planning to take over from Mahama, a great deal depends upon the outcome of the Mahama administration,” he noted. “If it does well, it inures to the party, and therefore it creates a wind on which the potential or the prospective person can ride.”

His reflections capture a moment of transition in Ghanaian politics, as senior party figures contemplate both their legacy and the future leadership of the NDC.

Source: Adomonline

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Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, August 9, Dr. Aidoo linked last Wednesday’s fatal helicopter crash — which killed eight people, including two cabinet ministers — directly to the government’s fight against illegal mining.

“To be frank, I had a personal connection with only three of the unfortunate victims of the helicopter crash — Dr. Omane Boamah, Dr. Sarpong, and Dr. Murtala Mohammed,” he said. “Anytime I remember the departed, it is usually with teary eyes, but I am not here to eulogise nor to pay another apologetic tribute. This will be a very tiny voice among the worldwide tributes following the avoidable national tragedy.”

The former Senior Presidential Aide stressed that the deaths were not an act of God but the result of human failings.

“Even though faith says we must eulogise the dead, we must look behind and look for the cause — why did they die? People will say, ‘Oh, the Lord gave us and the Lord takes.’ I say that God did not take. It was we who gave by our mistake of an avoidable death.”

The crash claimed the lives of Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye, NDC Vice Chairman Dr. Samuel Sarpong, and three crew members — Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manin Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

“Why were they in the air? They were in the air because they were going to fight galamsey,” Dr. Aidoo said. “President Mahama must kill the galamsey menace before it ends his members [of cabinet].”

He emphasised that the most fitting tribute to the victims would be to act immediately.

“God gives, yes, but God does not take innocent lives. People die by their own destruction or by lifestyle. What is President Mahama waiting for? Yesterday, I heard Kwame Mpianim say we must ban galamsey for three months.

“In fact, my first reaction after the Chief of Staff gave us the details and confirmed the death was to send the message directly to President Mahama, and I said these eight patriotic souls lost their lives in the fight against galamsey.

“So for God’s sake, Mr. President, don’t let them die in vain. Stop the galamsey now. That’s the best tribute we can pay to these patriotic deaths.”

Source: Ibrahim Abubakar

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The crash, which claimed the lives of two cabinet ministers and six others, occurred while they were travelling to the launch of a government initiative to end illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

Among the deceased were Defence Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Vice Chairman Dr. Samuel Sarpong, and three crew members — Squadron Leader Peter Bafemi Anala, Flying Officer Manen Twum-Ampadu, and Sergeant Ernest Addo Mensah.

Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, August 9, Dr. Aidoo said:

“To be frank, I had a personal connection with only three of the unfortunate victims… Anytime I remember the departed… usually with teary eyes, but I am not here to eulogise nor to pay another apologetic tribute. Mine will be a very tiny voice among the worldwide tributes, lamentations and eulogies that have come following the avoidable, I say avoidable, national tragedy.”

He questioned the necessity of the trip that led to their deaths.

“Why were they in the air? They were in the air because they were going to fight galamsey,” he said. “President Mahama must kill the galamsey menace before it ends his members [of cabinet].”

Rejecting the view that the tragedy was an act of God, Dr. Aidoo stated:

“People will say, ‘oh the Lord gave us and the Lord takes,’ I say that God did not take; it was we who gave… by our mistake of an avoidable death. God gives, yes, but God does not take innocent lives. People die by their own destruction or by lifestyle.”

He revealed that his first reaction after confirmation of the deaths was to send a message to President Mahama:

“These eight patriotic souls lost their lives in the fight against galamsey. So for God’s sake, Mr. President, don’t let them die in vain. Stop the galamsey now. That’s the best tribute we can say to these patriotic deaths.”

Source: Ibrahim Abubakar

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In the wake of the tragedy, Dr. Aidoo stressed that the late Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, and their colleagues were on a mission tied to environmental protection and responsible mining when they met their untimely deaths.

Speaking on Newsfile, he called on the President to rally the security services, environmental agencies, and local communities to take a united stand against the galamsey menace, warning that the environmental and social costs of inaction would be irreversible.

“After the Chief of Staff gave us the details and confirmed, the first thing was to send the best direct to President Mahama, and I said these eight patriotic souls lost their lives in the fight against galamsey. So for God’s sake, Mr President, don’t let them die in vain. Stop the galamsey now,” Dr. Aidoo said.

The eight victims, including senior government officials and three Air Force crew members, perished when a Ghana Armed Forces helicopter crashed in the Dampia Range Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region while en route to Obuasi for the launch of a responsible mining initiative.

He said the continued presence of galamsey poses a serious threat to the environment and public health, noting that contaminated water and food are slowly killing Ghanaians.

“If you are drinking water, you are scared. The food you eat, you are scared whether it is contaminated by metals,” he said on Joy News, adding that fear and insecurity have gripped many communities.

Dr. Aidoo criticised the previous Akufo-Addo-led government for its failure to resolve the crisis, cautioning Mahama not to repeat that mistake.

“Akufo-Addo didn’t care, so don’t say Ghanaians don’t care about your administration. If you don’t solve the galamsey problem, in 2028 Ghanaians will vote the NDC out,” he warned.

Dr. Aidoo also cited reports of a Municipal Chief Executive in the Ashanti Region allegedly involved in illegal mining, questioning President Mahama’s silence on the matter.

“So far, there is no response from this man. What is the President doing?” he asked.

While acknowledging initiatives like the Blue Water Project and making the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (Gold Board) the sole legal gold buyer, Dr. Aidoo said these policies are inadequate without eradicating illegal mining itself.

“Stop the galamsey, stop the damage to our waters and forests. Programs will fail if illegal mining continues unchecked,” he said.

He called for the deployment of military force to clamp down on illegal miners.

“Bring 1,000 men, two battalions, and fetch them out. If necessary, shoot to kill because they are killing us,” he asserted, describing the menace as an assault on Ghana’s territorial integrity.

Although Dr. Aidoo rated the Mahama-led government 70 percent overall, he downgraded it to 60 percent due to its weak fight against galamsey.

“Six months is long enough. Galamsey must be eliminated and uprooted from our society. It doesn’t matter who profits from it,” he concluded.

Source: Kareen Tei

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Dr Aidoo expressed frustration over the ineffectiveness of the OSP and advised the anti-graft body to adopt a different approach in the fight against corruption in an exclusive interview on the Thursday, July 17 edition of JoyNews.

“So far, you’ve had the Attorney General in quest for transparency, coming out to reveal steps that he is taking to bring certain persons to book. But so far, we haven’t seen any prosecution yet, and I don’t trust the Special Prosecutor. He talks big, he talks small, and he doesn’t know what he is doing.”

He continued, “He is a shame; is he protecting them? Look at the mess he made with the Cecilia Dapaah case. He has never succeeded in any prosecution on corruption, so what are we paying him for?”

He criticised the OSP’s failure to build solid cases, suggesting this is why prosecutions are not going anywhere.

“If you build up your case, the judges will not ignore your evidence. But if you fail to present convincing evidence, then that is what you are going to get from the judgment. I don’t think he is building his cases well; he talks too much.”

“I will advise him to talk less and do more,” he said.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in Ghana is a specialised, independent anti-corruption agency established by an Act of Parliament, the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).

The OSP is fortified with specialised powers, including intelligence gathering, surveillance, counter-surveillance, and police functions, making it a comprehensive anti-graft agency. Its vision is to render corruption costly and unattractive in all its forms in both the public and private sectors through sustained repression and suppression.

It was created as a flagship institution to specifically address the shortcomings of existing anti-corruption bodies and provide a more robust and comprehensive approach to combating corruption in the country.

The OSP has a multi-faceted mandate with four primary functions:

1. Investigation: The OSP is tasked with investigating specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences. This includes cases involving:
   • Public officers and persons entrusted with prominent public functions in Ghana or abroad.
   • Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), such as senior political party officials, government officials, judicial officials, and military officials.
   • Executives of state-owned companies.
   • Private sector actors involved in corruption. The OSP can initiate investigations on its own or act on referrals from Parliament, the Auditor-General, CHRAJ, EOCO, other public bodies, or complaints from private entities and individuals.
2. Prosecution: The OSP is mandated to prosecute offenders involved in corruption and corruption-related offences. While its prosecutorial power is derived from the Attorney General, it is secured by law and exercised without specific reference to the Attorney General, ensuring its operational independence in this regard. This makes it unique among Ghana’s anti-corruption agencies.
3. Asset Recovery and Management: The OSP is empowered to trace, freeze, confiscate, and manage the proceeds of corruption and corruption-related offences. This function aims to disgorge illicit and unexplained wealth, making corruption less attractive.
4. Prevention: The OSP is also required to take steps to prevent corruption. This includes engaging in public awareness campaigns, advocating for policy reforms, and collaborating with other anti-corruption institutions and civil society organisations to promote transparency, accountability, and probity.

Some achievements of the OSP

Since its establishment, the OSP has faced significant challenges, including initial setup delays, resource constraints, and legal challenges to its powers.

However, it has made several notable achievements and impacts:

• Prosecutions and Convictions: The OSP has initiated several prosecutions against high-profile individuals implicated in corruption and corruption-related offences. As of reports from 2025, the OSP has achieved seven convictions in cases it has prosecuted.
• Asset Recovery and Savings:
  • The OSP has successfully recovered over GHS 4 million in proceeds of corruption.
  • Through its vigilant and pre-emptive measures, it has achieved savings of over GHS 135 million by preventing corrupt activities.
  • It has also been involved in suspending transactions totalling over GHS 283 million where corruption was suspected.
• High-Profile Investigations and Referrals: The OSP has undertaken investigations into several high-profile cases involving politically exposed persons and significant public funds. While not all have resulted in convictions, the OSP’s investigations have brought public scrutiny to:
  • The case involving former Minister for Sanitation Cecilia Abena Dapaah, though the OSP referred it to EOCO for suspected money laundering after its initial probe found no direct evidence of corruption.
  • Revenue Assurance Contracts, including examining agreements between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
  • The National Cathedral Project, scrutinising procurement processes and financial transactions.
  • Ambulance Procurement contracts.
  • Allegations related to illegal mining, including charges filed against Charles Bissue, former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
  • Investigations into the banking and financial sector crisis that led to the collapse of some banks and financial institutions.
  • Cases of alleged vote-buying and vote-selling during elections.
• Preventive Measures and Public Sensitisation:
  • The OSP has actively engaged in corruption prevention through initiatives like the “Youth Against Corruption Initiative”, sensitising over 6 million people. This programme aims to instil values of honesty, integrity, and accountability in young people.
  • It has advocated for reforms, such as calling for sweeping changes to Ghana’s political party financing laws to ensure electoral integrity.
  • The OSP has also partnered with civil society organisations and media houses to train journalists on reporting corruption cases, enhancing public understanding and oversight.
• Inter-Agency Collaboration: The OSP has actively sought to deepen collaboration with other anti-corruption institutions like the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Financial Intelligence Centre, and the Auditor-General, recognising that a unified approach is crucial to closing loopholes for corrupt individuals.

The OSP continues to be a central institution in Ghana’s fight against corruption, constantly working to establish a deterrent effect and promote greater accountability in the public and private sectors.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

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Speaking about the recent chaos in parliament on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, February 4, he described the situation as contrary to democratic principles.

“This is not democracy. Our people are suffering, yet MPs, instead of serving the national interest, go there to serve their own personal interests. It’s not fair,” he said.

Dr. Aidoo further emphasized that it is the political elite who are reaping the benefits of the country’s democracy, often at the expense of the general populace.

“The big question is, who is benefiting from this democracy? It’s the political class. They are the ones benefiting. In three months, someone is appointed to a position, and yet they’ve built a mansion. It took me 20 years to build mine,” he added.

He also questioned the motivations behind individuals rushing into politics, stating, “Why is everyone rushing to be a politician? Because it pays and corrupts the country at the expense of the welfare of the general Ghanaian public.”

Dr. Aidoo condemned the chaos that unfolded during last week’s appointment committee proceedings and also criticized the conduct of the Minority Leader, Mr. Afenyo-Markin, during various vetting procedures.

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Dr. Aidoo stated that the Minority Leader is suffering from cognitive dissonance. According to him, Afenyo-Markin’s boisterous behaviour at the Appointments Committee of Parliament is very characteristic of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

“Afenyo-Markin’s behaviour, excuse me to say, he is having a very tough case of cognitive dissonance,” he said while contributing to a discussion on the recent happenings in Parliament, particularly during the vetting of ministerial nominees at the Appointments Committee.

“Cognitive dissonance, in socio-psychological terms, says that when your cognitive elements appear to conflict, you are compelled to restore consonance by either eliminating or devaluing one of the elements that you believe is busy. And that is how Afenyo-Markin has been behaving,” explained Dr. Aidoo.

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According to him, both the president and the NPP, throughout Ghana’s history, have caused significant harm, especially from the early 2000s to recent years.

Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show in an exclusive interview with Benjamin Akakpo on Monday, December 2, Dr Aidoo stated that Nana Addo has destroyed the rule of law in the country and described him as a fascist.

“In the year 2000, when the NPP held its last rally at Mantse Agbona in Accra, Akufo-Addo was one of the speakers. After the rally, Rawlings asked me, ‘What do you think of him?’ and I said he is a fascist,” he told Benjamin.

He further described the president as an autocratic leader, saying, “Look at the way he has bastardized all our constitutional bodies, where is the independence of the Electoral Commission? And the entire judiciary has been bastardized.”

Dr Aidoo alleged that the Chairperson of the EC and her staff “come from the NPP side,” adding that the president has placed his activists “into the organization (EC), and right now nobody trusts the Electoral Commissioner.”

Speaking about the origins of the NPP, he said that the United Party (UP) tradition, from its inception, has been associated with violence, and as a result, he “hates the NPP political tradition.”

He also criticised the Akufo-Addo government, asking, “What is democratic about them?”

Dr Tony Aidoo once served as senior presidential aide and Head of the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit of the office of the late President Atta Mills from 2009 to 2013, in addition to being a member of the Cabinet’s Economic Management Team for three years.

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In an interview on PM Express on October 22, he criticised the entrenched political rivalry in Parliament, which he said had stymied progress on key government business.

“The NPP caucus needs to climb down from their high horse and realise that politics should not be played in terms of a zero-sum mentality. It should be a positive sum mentality,” he stated.

His comments come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling to stay Speaker Bagbin’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant.

The ongoing legal tussle has intensified the power struggle between the NPP and NDC, raising concerns about how Parliament can function effectively.

Dr Aidoo stated that for government business to move forward, the ruling party must be willing to negotiate with the opposition.

“If the government wants to do business, it can come to Parliament. Negotiation is part of politics,” he added, suggesting that collaboration is the only way to break the current impasse.

Dr Aidoo also took aim at the attitude of NPP Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, whom he described as displaying a fascist-like mindset.

“Only recently, he made a Freudian slip about his far-right protest, chastising a journalist,” which he believes doesn’t foster cooperation.

He noted that if the NPP continues to push for dominance in Parliament without considering compromise, the government will suffer setbacks in getting key legislation passed.

“The government loses more in this scenario. There’s no reason why they can’t have their bills passed if they adopt an attitude of compromise and cooperation,” Dr Aidoo warned.

The former Head of the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit at the presidency, Dr Tony Aidoo, has called for a shift in the mindset of Ghana’s political actors, urging government and the opposition to adopt a “positive sum mentality” in Parliament to advance the country’s development.

In an interview on PM Express on October 22, he criticised the entrenched political rivalry in Parliament, which he said had stymied progress on key government business.

“The NPP caucus needs to climb down from their high horse and realise that politics should not be played in terms of a zero-sum mentality. It should be a positive sum mentality,” he stated.

His comments come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling to stay Speaker Bagbin’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant.

The ongoing legal tussle has intensified the power struggle between the NPP and NDC, raising concerns about how Parliament can function effectively.

Dr Aidoo stated that for government business to move forward, the ruling party must be willing to negotiate with the opposition.

“If the government wants to do business, it can come to Parliament. Negotiation is part of politics,” he added, suggesting that collaboration is the only way to break the current impasse.

Dr Aidoo also took aim at the attitude of NPP Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, whom he described as displaying a fascist-like mindset.

“Only recently, he made a Freudian slip about his far-right protest, chastising a journalist,” which he believes doesn’t foster cooperation.

He noted that if the NPP continues to push for dominance in Parliament without considering compromise, the government will suffer setbacks in getting key legislation passed.

“The government loses more in this scenario. There’s no reason why they can’t have their bills passed if they adopt an attitude of compromise and cooperation,” Dr Aidoo warned.

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He said the 2020 flagbearer of the NDC’s ability to admit and learn from his past mistakes gives him a better chance to contest the presidential race in the next general election.

Despite his earlier criticisms against the Mahama-led administration for what he described as the failure of the country’s accountability test, Dr Aidoo believes the former President is a preferred choice for the NDC.

“You learn from your mistakes and I believe that he [John Mahama] is a good learner. He has admitted that he made some mistakes. He admitted during the campaign for the 2020 elections.

“I am sure he can be trusted to keep faith with himself and with the people of this country,” he said in an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Thursday.

Therefore, the former Defence Minister urged the NDC to return to its ideological identification as it seeks to take over power in the next elections.

“I’ve never been very functional in recent times in the party’s organisation but my one advice which I would use this opportunity to voice is that the party must go back to its ideological identification.

“If it is socialist, it must embrace socialist principles. You cannot create a so-called middle-class developmentalists through a petty bourgeoisie that is self-seeking, selfish and materialistic,” he added.

Following his loss in the 2020 presidential elections, Mr Mahama is yet to state his desire to run for a political office in the future.

However, during his ‘Thank You’ tours of the country last year, he said the party will be more vigilant at the polls to secure victory.

“The 2020 elections were rigged for the NPP. We have, however, accepted the ruling of the Supreme Court for the sake of peace.

“However, come 2024, the NDC will be extra vigilant at the polling stations because that is where the elections are won.

“So at the polling station [in the next election], it will be ‘do or die’. I am not saying all ‘die be die’. I’m saying it will be ‘do or die’ because the right thing must be done,” Mr Mahama said.

Meanwhile, the National Executives of NDC has pledged to deploy professional polling agents to oversee the 2024 elections on all levels.