Former Deputy Minister for Communications and leading National Democratic Congress (NDC) member, Victoria Lakshmi Hamah, has written to President John Dramani Mahama, urging him to issue a formal reprimand—rather than remove—Sammy Gyamfi, Acting CEO of the Ghana Gold Board, over his controversial cash gift to evangelist Nana Agradaa.
In a letter titled “Youth in Power: Embracing Imperfection for a Progressive Democratic Future”, Hamah argued that the dollar saga involving Gyamfi should not overshadow the broader goals of youth inclusion and mentorship within Mahama’s administration.
“I respectfully submit that a formal reprimand, rather than exclusion from office, represents the most constitutionally sound and developmentally judicious response,” she wrote.
Hamah emphasized that while public accountability is critical, the government must avoid creating a political environment where youthful missteps result in immediate exclusion.
She positioned Gyamfi’s controversy within the context of intergenerational leadership, calling for reflection over retribution. “Youthful imperfection is not antithetical to good leadership. Rather, it is a component of growth,” Hamah added.
She praised President Mahama’s record on youth and women inclusion, noting that their presence in key roles marked a historic shift from entrenched power structures. Referring to Ghana’s post-independence era under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, she cited how young, inexperienced leaders were once trusted with significant responsibilities—and how some of Ghana’s most transformative policies emerged from that era.
According to Hamah, mishandling such episodes could alienate a politically aware generation and damage the trust the administration has built with younger demographics.
“To support young leaders only in moments of triumph, and abandon them at the first signs of fallibility, is to reinforce a brittle political culture that discourages innovation and suppresses bold leadership,” she warned.
She concluded by urging the President to transform the incident into a teachable moment, reinforcing the values of mentorship, institutional resilience, and inclusive governance.
“Let this moment serve not as a rupture, but as a reckoning with the kind of political maturity that welcomes imperfection as part of the journey toward excellence. ”
Read Victoria Hamah’s full letter below:
