Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Council of Elders, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, has delivered a mixed but critical assessment of President John Mahama’s first nine months in office.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on September 17, he said while there may be some areas of progress, the fundamentals of fairness and justice, which define democracy, have been compromised.

“Well, see, it’s a rainbow with several other things. There are certain issues that I’m satisfied with that I’m not, but basically, I believe that what makes democracy a democracy is fairness and justice. And as far as that is concerned, I don’t say so,” Hackman stated.

The former New Juaben North MP cited the decision by government to discontinue several prosecutions without explanation as one of the troubling signs.

“For example, the government didn’t think it was worth its while to give us the reasons why several people who are being prosecuted were all of a sudden nolle prosequi, that government is no longer pursuing it.

"So sometimes that one will not make people happy. Other things may make them happy too, but for now, I would go by Imani, who has done a detailed study of it, are saying.”

Mr Owusu-Agyeman admitted he has not conducted his own comprehensive assessment, but noted that some developments in the justice system have deeply unsettled him.

“In any situation, you can say, you could have done better, but this is difficult for me because I haven’t really done any assessment, or our other thing is what I’ve read, but there are quite a few things that has really upset me, especially if somebody is charged with a misdemeanour, then they put in a Black Maria, and it’s not the best…now a judge is happy to be called Animal Farm Judge. No, that is not the best thing to do.”

The former Foreign Minister stressed that while such actions may occur without the President’s direct involvement, it is still his responsibility to act decisively to correct them.

“So, these things are happening, and I believe that they shouldn’t happen, but they can always happen on the blind side of the President. But if they do, then the action must be taken to correct it.”

Beyond justice concerns, Hackman also pointed to worsening illegal mining as another blot on the Mahama administration. “

Also, galamsey has gotten worse,” he lamented.