Alex Tetteh, President of Citizen Eye Ghana, told reporters on Tuesday that the narrative linking Police Commissioner (COP) Lydia Yaako Donkor to businessman Ibrahim Mahama ignores her years of service and merit. He said Donkor earned her senior rank through “years of service” and was promoted under the NPP administration, and that her career should not be explained by her private relationships.
Mr Tetteh added that any concerns about Donkor should focus on her conduct in office. “If there is a problem with how she performs her duties, let people say exactly what it is. If there is misconduct, let them show it,” he said. He warned that claiming she is “controlled” by Mahama is “not evidence.”
The president highlighted a broader issue, noting that women in senior roles are sometimes judged by their personal lives. “It is hypocritical to judge a woman because of who she has children with, who she has dated or who she is married to,” he said. “Marriage should not become a sentence that limits a woman’s career.”
Mr Tetteh denied claims that Mahama was responsible for Donkor’s appointment as CID boss, stating that she had “already built a career in the police service and had progressed under different administrations.” He stressed that Ghana’s institutions remain independent and that the justice system and security agencies should operate without assumptions about personal relationships.
He also criticized the NPP’s past treatment of Mahama, citing the seizure of his equipment by Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei‑Mensah and the pressure on his businesses. “Some of the people who were involved have now reached out to Ibrahim Mahama and apologised,” he said, arguing that the attacks were intended to intimidate and stifle his enterprises.
Mr Tetteh concluded that Ghana should encourage entrepreneurs who invest locally. “Ibrahim Mahama has chosen to invest in Ghana, create jobs and support people through his philanthropic work. Such people should be encouraged, not attacked out of envy,” he said.
In closing, he urged the public to base discussions on performance, not private life, and to treat women in senior positions with the same standards applied to men.
