President John Dramani Mahama has stated that he does not take pleasure in prosecuting individuals, stressing that persons are only pursued when there is enough evidence against them.

Speaking at the Ho Technical University on Friday, July 17, 2026, he said his government’s approach to accountability is based on evidence and not political vendetta or attempts to target opponents.

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President Mahama explained that Ghana’s investigative and judicial systems provide enough room for anyone who is wrongly accused to seek justice.

“We do not harbour any malice against any person and indeed, I do not take any enjoyment or pride in prosecuting people if they have done no wrong. I believe that our prosecutorial system, investigative system, and judicial system grant enough leverage for people to have justice,” he said.

He added that persons who are prosecuted without evidence can rely on the courts to protect their rights and clear their names.

“So, nobody would, out of political vendetta or malice, prosecute anybody if you've done no wrong. And if you've done no wrong and you're being prosecuted maliciously, the courts will be able to uphold your rights and set you free. So, it shouldn't be like we're trying to hound our political opponents or something,” he stated.

The President said investigations are only taken forward when evidence gathered is strong enough to support prosecution.

He noted that some reports received by state agencies do not always provide sufficient grounds for court action, requiring further investigations or being discarded.

“We proceed on the basis of evidence we have received and then the evidence is weighed, and if it is sufficient… There are many times we have reports and all that. Sometimes the evidence comes and it's not substantive and so you say if it's on the weight of this evidence you cannot proceed to court so discard it or investigate further and see if there's something else that you have not found,” he explained.

President Mahama said the time taken in some accountability cases is due to the need for thorough investigations before arrests and prosecutions are made.

He mentioned institutions such as the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as agencies that conduct extensive reviews before taking action.

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“That is why the whole system of accountability is taking time. You need to be thorough. By the time EOCO or OSP or somebody comes and arrests the person, it means that months of work have taken place reviewing the evidence,” he added.

He therefore assured that accountability remains a key priority of his administration.

MAG/VPO

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