Dr. Cadman Mills Warns Against Early Signs of Sycophancy in Incoming Mahama Administration

Renowned economist and former convener of Ghana’s Economic Advisory Council, Dr. Cadman Atta Mills, has raised alarm over what he perceives as early indications of sycophancy within the incoming John Dramani Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.

In a strongly worded statement titled “Is Sycophancy Already Raising Its Ugly Head?”, Dr. Mills expressed concern that a culture of excessive flattery and ingratiation could derail the new government’s focus on accountability and delivering meaningful progress for Ghanaians.

While acknowledging his relief at the electoral defeat of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Dr. Mills tempered his optimism for the incoming administration with a stark reminder of the challenges it faces. Reflecting on the NDC’s previous tenure from 2013 to 2017, he noted that improvement is not guaranteed unless sycophancy is rooted out early.

“Ghanaians can hope that this administration will be ‘better’ than its first incarnation… But already the signs of sycophancy are starting to rear their ugly heads,” he cautioned.

Dr. Mills cited two specific incidents as emblematic of this troubling trend:

1. UMB-E&P Apology:
   Dr. Mills criticised Universal Merchant Bank’s (UMB) public apology to Engineers & Planners (E&P), a company owned by Ibrahim Mahama, brother of the incoming President. The apology concerned a failure to update credit bureaus on the clearance of E&P’s indebtedness.

   Describing the gesture as “ridiculous,” Dr. Mills questioned its necessity and timing, pointing out that such updates are routine banking practices that do not require public apologies. “Why in this case and why now?” he asked, hinting at ulterior motives behind the gesture.

2. Constitutional Amendment Proposals:
   Dr. Mills also expressed alarm at emerging suggestions to amend Ghana’s Constitution to allow the incoming president to contest for an additional term, potentially extending his cumulative tenure to 12 years.

   Calling the idea “particularly alarming,” he warned that tampering with presidential term limits could undermine democratic principles. “Have we not learnt anything from the experience of other countries?” he asked, referencing the negative consequences of similar actions in other nations.

Dr. Mills concluded his statement with a call for greater accountability and prudence within the NDC administration.

He urged Ghanaians to focus on governance, warning that sycophancy could distract from the substantive work needed to fulfil the administration’s promises.