Cadman Mills, the brother of the late President John Evans Atta Mills, has raised some concerns and observations about certain individuals within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who according to him, are attempting to secure positions in the upcoming John Dramani Mahama government. He has warned that early signs of sycophancy are already visible, with some individuals and institutions excessively flattering Mahama and his family in an attempt to gain favour.
In a post on X on December 29, 2024, Cadman Mills highlighted a typical example of what he sees as sycophantic behaviour. He specifically mentioned public calls for Mahama’s son, Sharaf Mahama, to be appointed as the Minister of Sports, citing his personal interest in the sector, particularly in boxing. Mills expressed his disapproval of such suggestions, arguing that Ghanaians deserve more than mere family appointments based on flattery.
He also reminded the NDC that the Ghanaian public has high expectations for the incoming administration to deliver better results than the previous one, which led to the party’s removal from office after Mahama’s first term.
Mills emphasised that while the prospect of a new Mahama-led administration brings hope, it does not guarantee success. “But a JDM-led NDC administration is not new to the Ghanaian political scene: It held office from 2013 – 2017.
Ghanaians can hope that this administration will be “better” than its first incarnation (because “we are not going back!”). But it is not a foregone conclusion. But already the signs of sycophancy are starting to rear their ugly heads. “It appears that many (people and institutions) are tripping over their feet to please the incoming president and his family, including the suggestion that his son (who has a keen interest in boxing) be made sports minister. There are others.
I will identify two,” parts of his post read. In addition to his concerns about sycophantic behaviour, Cadman Mills expressed alarm over calls for constitutional amendments to allow Mahama to serve beyond his term limit. He criticised proposals to extend his presidency, warning that such changes could undermine the countryʼs democratic framework and lead to a dangerous culture of political leaders clinging to power for extended periods.
“It is particularly alarming that without having served a day in office, there are already calls for the constitution to be amended to allow the incoming president to be eligible to contest for an additional term (making a cumulative 12 years, if he wins in 2028). But why? Why in Ghana? Have we not learned anything from the experience of other countries? Please count me as being vigorously opposed to tampering with term limits for the highest office in the land,” Mills added.
Source : ghanaweb.com
