NCCE Boss Opens Up On ‘Last Minute’ Job; Defends Mahama’s Decision

National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) boss, Josephine Nkrumah has defended her 2016 appointment that spawned heated political discussions, insisting it was perfectly "legitimate."

In an exclusive interview with Myjoyonline.com, she said ex-president John Mahama acted within his powers when he appointed her to head the Commission, some days to his handing over.

Ms Nkrumah and Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) boss, Joseph Whittal were handed their jobs at the time Mr Mahama had lost the 2016 presidential election and was preparing for a handing-over.

The outgoing president also appointed a professional accountant Daniel Domelovo as the Auditor-General.

Although the 1992 Constitution does not debar a sitting president who has lost an election from taking key decisions, the then president was criticized for his last minute appointments.

Sections of Ghanaians were displeased with Mr Mahama’s action, describing it as “bad faith” particularly when New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was preparing to be sworn-in as president.

Reacting to the matter one-year after she took the offer, Ms Nkrumah said she was not surprised by the public reaction, explaining every issue in the country generates some “level of controversy.”

But she was convinced the then president did not breach any section of the Constitution when he took those last minute decisions, she said.

“My appointment came at a time after we’ve had an election [but Mahama] was still the sitting president of Ghana and in that respect, I was appointed,” Ms Nkrumah told Myjoyonline.com last Friday.

She said the NCCE under her leadership has been neutral in the past year, assuring she will continue to uphold the tenets of the Commission enshrined in the Constitution.

"I think the people of Ghana can judge for themselves that there is nothing partisan in my approach to work," she said, adding she holds close to her chest the "independence and neutrality of the Commission."