On November 14th, President John Dramani Mahama named Kwasi Kyei Darkwah (better known as KKD), a notable broadcaster as Ghana’s Special Envoy to the Caribbean Region.
The move was intended to leverage historical ties between Africa and its diaspora amid growing efforts to boost trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.
However, the president’s decision to appoint Mr. Darkwah have resurfaced uncomfortable chapters from his past, particularly a decade-old accusation of sexual assault.
Mr. Darkwah’s appointment also comes after the fact that Professor Ransford Gyampo, who had been accused of allegedly sexually harassing students while at the University of Ghana, was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA).
The appointment of two men with questionable histories and misconduct against women has ignited a quiet debate on rewarding individuals with serious past blemishes with high-profile positions.
Controversial Misconducts
In 2015, Mr. Darkwah was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in the bathroom of a luxury hotel suite at the African Regent Hotel in Accra.
Mr. Darkwah, then 49, acknowledged having sex with the victim, but insisted it was consensual.
Prosecutors painted a starkly different picture, alleging that Mr. Darkwah had forced himself on the victim, noting that it was her first sexual encounter.
Eventually, after months of proceedings, the victim informed the court she no longer wished to pursue the matter, citing unwillingness to endure further trauma.
Mr. Darkwah walked free without a trial verdict.
In the years since, Mr. Darkwah has largely rebuilt his brand, hosting events, advocating for culture, and occasionally weighing in on politics. He has maintained his innocence.
Professor Gyampo, who was appointed the CEO of the GSA earlier this January, also has a string of controversies involving women.
In 2019, he was ensnared in a BBC investigation on sexual harassment at Ghanaian universities.
In video footage, Professor Gyampo was seen asking an undercover reporter about her former school and then making a derogatory comment about its students. In addition, he proposed marriage and discussed mentorship in a manner that was later cited as potential quid pro quo harassment.
He was temporarily suspended by the university but was later reinstated after an internal probe found no quid-pro-quo exchange of grades for sex.
Professor Gyampo has maintained his innocence after the documentary aired and made claims that it was a ploy by political opponents to tarnish his image.
When the documentary aired, former students on social media spoke out, stating that they had “uncomfortable” interactions with Professor Gyampo.
Should Past Transgressions Matter in Political Appointments?
In a country where public memory is long and social media unforgiving, the appointment has stirred debate about redemption versus reckoning.
Some have welcomed Mr. Darkwah’s appointment as a reward for his hard work.
Entertainment analyst Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo stated: “KKD will excel as Ghana’s Special Envoy to the Caribbean”.
Others have been more critical on his appointment.
Popular filmmaker, Ama K Ambrere, in a post on the social media platform X, questioned his appointment given his past misconduct.
“There is no serious country that will appoint men who have a documented history and allegations of sexual assault/sexual harassment against females to high governmental positions,” she wrote in a post on November 18th.
Amelia Amemate, a former aspirant for Member of Parliament, who had accused Professor Gyampo of sexually harassing her while at the University of Ghana, spoke out against his appointment in a Facebook post.
“What message did that appointment send to young women all over Ghana? Could they trust the party? Would their voices even matter?” she asked in the post in relation to the recent appointment of Mr. Darkwah.
In the US, a Supreme Court judge, Brett Kavanaugh was highly scrutinised during his confirmation hearings. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified that Mr Kavanaugh for allegedly sexually assaulted her while in high school.
Mr. Kavanaugh denied the allegations. Although he was eventually confirmed, the case caused debate about whether his past actions should have been a disqualifier.
The appointment of Mr. Darkwah and Professor Gyampo, call into question whether their past misconducts on a sexual nature should disqualify them from public government posts.
The Labari Journal sent out an anonymous survey to readers on the recent appointment of Mr. Darkwah. Majority stated he shouldn’t have been given the post.
A reader wrote:
“In a world where predators appear to rule the world, Ghana as a country should do well to remove ourselves from these conversations and focus on reducing the harm to victims and survivors.“
