Daniel Domelevo, the former Auditor-General, has said President John Dramani Mahama fears being overthrown if he fails to deliver in government.
According to Daniel Domelevo, President Mahama’s fears stem from the Burkina Faso leader, Ibrahim Traoré, receiving loud cheers during Mahama’s own inauguration on January 7, 2025.
Domelevo revealed he told Mahama that no nation is immune to a coup, but it depends on how the system is run.
Speaking on the issue, Daniel Domelevo stated, “He said if he fails to deliver good governance, he knows there could be a coup in Ghana, and that he and other former presidents might be targeted. He emphasised that this is his biggest fear,” revealed Mr Domelevo.
“President Mahama told me in a private meeting that he was deeply concerned after witnessing how Ghanaians celebrated Burkina Faso’s leader, Ibrahim Traoré, during his visit to Ghana. Ghanaians are demanding leadership more than just democracy,” Mr Domelevo emphasised.
He indicated, “I told President Mahama, and I will say it again, that no nation is immune to a coup, but it depends on how the system is run. We need strong institutions to be able to fight corruption. The institutions are there, just empower them”.
Also, Daniel Domelevo has called for internal auditors and directors to be prosecuted where corruption is identified.
According to Domelevo, the fight against corruption will yield results when it is extended to auditors, directors, and heads of institutions who preside over corrupt practices.
Speaking on Ghana’s corruption fight, Daniel Domelevo stated, “Internal auditors, directors, and heads of institutions where corruption is identified must also be prosecuted”
“[President] Mahama can eliminate corruption by strengthening Article 286(4) of the Constitution and ensuring that provisions on reverse burden and unexplained wealth are actively enforced,” Mr Domelevo explained.
He added, “Corruption cases are likely to worsen in the next five years if we fail to enforce existing laws,” said Mr Domelevo.
“Fast-tracking corruption cases to a maximum of three months can serve as a strong deterrent to other public officials,” he said.
In related news, Professor John Osae-Kwapong, a governance expert with the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has weighed in on the Buffer Stock Company scandal.
The professor noted that Ghana has internal auditors everywhere, yet none of the auditors were able to catch the Buffer Stock Company scandal.
According to him, it is strange that Ghana’s internal auditors failed to detect wrongdoings that have cost the state millions of cedis.
Speaking on the AM Show, Prof. Osae-Kwapong stated, “Anytime I listen to the Attorney-General or read the Auditor-General’s report, I ask myself — how come that throughout the entire process, none of the internal auditors or oversight units caught these issues? It’s shocking”.
His comments come after Dr Ayine accused Hanan Abdul-Wahab of acquiring luxury assets by misappropriating public funds during his tenure.
According to the Attorney General, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) have traced several properties and bank transactions linked to Abdul-Wahab.