Fact-checking President Mahama’s cabinet promises – 30% women quota, timeline for nominations

President John Dramani Mahama in the lead up to the 2024 elections outdoored the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 120 days social contract, a separate document from the NDC’s 2024 manifesto. 

The document outlined a 26-point plan the NDC pledged to undertake in its first 120 days in office.

Weeks after he was sworn in on January 7, 2025, Mahama inaugurated a 19-member committee known as the “120-day social contract task force,” tasked with monitoring and ensuring the delivery of the 26 promises. 

The first point in the “social contract” reads: “Nominate within the first 14 days the complete list of Cabinet Ministers for parliamentary approval.”

Did president Mahama achieve the first promise in the social contract?

Fact-check 

Claim 1 – Nominate complete list of cabinet ministers in 14 days 

President John Mahama has so far nominated 56 persons to hold ministerial positions like substantive minister, ministers of state, regional ministers and deputy ministers. 

A breakdown of President Mahama’s Ministerial appointments are as follows:

In terms of the sequence in which the nominations were made, the table below gives an outline of when nominees for the 23 available portfolios were announced.

In terms of timeframe for the nomination of his ministers, Mahama met the 14-day timeline stated in the social contract. He took office on January 7 and announced his first ministerial nominations on January 9, while the final nomination was on January 21, which is exactly 14 days from the inauguration day.

19 of the 23 ministers were listed as members of Mahama’s cabinet on February 20, 2025. The only non-cabinet ministers were Youth Development and Empowerment, Tourism and Culture, Sports and Recreation, and Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Fig1: List of cabinet ministers as shared by the Presidency

Cabinet Appointments in Ghana

The procedure for forming a cabinet is stated in Article 76 of the 1992 Constitution. 

“There shall be a Cabinet which shall consist of the President, the Vice-President, and not less than ten and not more than nineteen Ministers of State.

“The Cabinet shall assist the President in the determination of the general policy of the Government.

“There shall be a Secretary to the Cabinet who shall be appointed by the President,” clause 1, 2, and 3 of the Article reads. 

Claim 2 – Mahama’s promise of allocating 30% to women in his Cabinet

During the launch of the NDC Women’s Manifesto on September 30, 2024, President Mahama promised to give 30% of cabinet positions to women if he becomes the president of Ghana.

“Within the first 14 days of my presidency, I will nominate my Cabinet – 30% of whom will be women,” he said.

Did Mahama fulfill the 30% cabinet positions to women?

Fact-check

From the composition of Cabinet according to Article 76 of the constitution stated above, Mahama’s cabinet includes;

• John Dramani Mahama (President)
• Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang (Vice-President)
• 19 Ministers of State
• Cabinet Secretary (if appointed)

This means the total number of Cabinet members is at least 22 (including the President, Vice President, and nominated Ministers, plus the Cabinet Secretary if appointed).

Assessment of the 30% women promise

Out of the 19 cabinet ministers shown in Fig 1 above, only two (2) are women;

Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare- Minister for Trade,  Agribusiness and Industry and Agnes Naa Momo Lartey- Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.

The only other woman in the 22 cabinet seats listed is the Vice President. Therefore, the percentage of women is computed as 3 out of the 22, which comes up to 13.6%.

Mahama’s cabinet appointments do not meet the 30% women representation as he pledged, the percentage is less than half of the quota he promised. .

Conclusion 

Mahama fulfilled his promise of appointing his cabinet in 14 days but failed on the promise to give 30% of cabinet positions to women.

By Gifty Danso and Nusrat Essah