Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Elikem Kotoko, has defended the government’s ongoing reforms, insisting that the administration is focused on rebuilding and strengthening state institutions rather than dismantling them.
Speaking on TV3’s New Day programme, Kotoko said the current administration inherited systems with significant weaknesses from the previous government and must take deliberate steps to correct them.
“We are building on a system they left behind,” he stated. “Where there is a need for a reset, that is what must be done.”
His remarks come amid growing political debate over governance, institutional independence, and the performance of state bodies, particularly the judiciary.
Kotoko argued that every government inherits existing structures and carries the responsibility of improving institutions that are not functioning effectively. He stressed that reforms should be viewed as part of national development rather than political retaliation.
The Deputy Forestry Commission CEO also accused some opposition figures of inconsistency in their stance on state institutions.
“At one point they praised the judiciary and asked people to trust the system,” he said. “Now they are attacking the same institutions because decisions are not going their way.”
According to him, strengthening democratic institutions requires patience, accountability, and respect for established procedures instead of public attacks that could weaken confidence in governance systems.
“We should use the same systems to correct problems, not destroy public confidence in them,” Kotoko emphasized.
He further noted that Ghana’s democracy would become more resilient if political actors prioritized institutional reforms and accountability over confrontation and partisan pressure.
