The dust has finally settled on the gold-rich soils of Damang. After months of high-stakes corporate maneuvering and what officials describe as a “grueling” competitive tender, Engineers and Planners (E&P) Ltd, owned by Ibrahim Mahama, has emerged as the successful bidder for the Damang Mine lease.
On the surface, it looks like a win for indigenous Ghanaian business. A local giant taking over from the expatriate Gold Fields in a deal worth over $500 million. But beneath the corporate handshakes and the technical jargon of mining leases lies a story that smells strongly of the very “family and friends” politics the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has spent years screaming about.
The Jet, The President, and The Conflict
Governance is as much about perception as it is about policy. Not too long ago, the nation was hit with reports of President John Dramani Mahama using a private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travels. At the time, critics asked a simple question: What happens when the brother of the President wants a major government contract?
Today, we have our answer.
While the government insists the tender was competitive and transparent, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are raising eyebrows. The conflict of interest is staring us in the face. How do you separate the President’s office from a massive state-approved mining lease given to the President’s own brother? In any serious jurisdiction, the optics alone would be enough to stall the process. Here, it is being celebrated as “local content.”
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It is painfully obvious that John Mahama learnt nothing from the failures of his first time as President where His inexplicable loyalty to incompetent appointees affectionly labelled ” babies with sharp teeeth” and his half witted lead to the destruction of the Ghanaian economy. arrogant family members
his failed nepotism laced We are now experience a very painful deja vu of JDM1 during JD2 decision where the Impacts of Nepotism and Incompetence in his Governance are on ful display…
- Erosion of Competence:
Key, sensitive positions are filled by familial ties ( list as many as you can find) rather than ability, leading to failed policies( 24hr economy, Dumsor levy, Galamsay, Goldbod, Gold for reserves etc) and gross inefficiency.
Demoralization: Highly qualified professionals are ignored, leading to low morale and productivity within government institutions.
Corruption: High levels of nepotism lead to mismanagement of resources, as seen with the Big Push, Goldbod and Acquisition of Damang mines etc. where friends and family of officials are given preferential award of egregiously inflated contracts in public institutions.
The Silence of the NDC
If this were happening under an NPP administration, Accra would be painted red by now. We can all imagine the scenes. The NDC would have organized three different “Kume Preko” style demonstrations in a single week. They would be on every radio station from Asempa FM to Peace FM, shouting about “state capture,” “nepotism,” and “family and friends” governance.
The NDC has built its entire political brand on the idea that the NPP is a party of elites taking care of their own. Yet, here we are. A sitting President’s brother has secured a $500 million mining deal, and the NDC’s loudest communicators have suddenly lost their voices. The hypocrisy is loud. It seems “family and friends” is only a crime when the surnames are different.
Where are the Voices of Reason?
One cannot help but wonder where the influential voices of our society have gone. Where are the religious leaders who usually preach about integrity in public office? Where is the vibrant media that used to dissect every NPP contract with a microscope? It feels as though the “conscience of the nation” has gone on a long holiday. These CSOs and moral gatekeepers, who were once so quick to point out even the smallest perceived flaw in an NPP policy, now seem content to look the other way while a massive national asset is handed over to the first family. Their quietness is deafening and it leaves many wondering if the standards of accountability in Ghana only apply to one side of the political divide.
A Question of Credibility
The NPP has often been accused of being too business-friendly, but at least their approach is usually rooted in broad economic policies that benefit the private sector across the board. When the NPP talks about the “Free Senior High School” or “One District One Factory,” the benefits go to the Ghanaian child and the rural entrepreneur.
In contrast, this Damang deal feels concentrated. It feels personal. It feels like the return of an era where being related to the Castle is the only qualification you need to become a mining mogul.
Some CSOs have rightly pointed out that the lack of an independent oversight body in this specific tender process leaves a lot of room for doubt. Was E&P truly the best, or was the path cleared because of the bloodline?
The Verdict
Ibrahim Mahama is no doubt a seasoned businessman. His company, E&P, has the equipment and the track record. But in politics, the “how” matters just as much as the “what.” By allowing this deal to go through while the President still enjoys the perks of his brother’s wealth, the current administration has handed the NPP a massive stick to beat them with.
The Ghanaian voter is watching. They see the private jets. They see the mining leases. And most importantly, they see the silence of a party that claims to be for the common man but stays quiet when the big cakes are shared at the family table.
