The presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has raised concerns about the state of Ghana’s democratic institutions, asserting that they have been significantly undermined under the current administration led by Akufo-Addo.
He argued that the progress Ghana has made in strengthening its democracy since 1992 has been reversed.
“These last eight years have been very challenging for our democratic institutions. All the gains we made since 1992 in strengthening them have been eroded,” he stated.
Mr. Mahama made these comments during a governance forum in Accra on the evening of Thursday, October 31, 2024. The forum, titled “Resetting Ghana for Good Governance and Accountability,” provided the NDC leader an opportunity to address various issues affecting the country’s democratic governance system.
“This evening, I want to talk about governance! I feel compelled to discuss governance because the way we administer it in our beloved country has brought Ghana to a crossroads. Injustice is eroding our society as our economy imposes untold hardships on millions of suffering Ghanaians,” he said.
Mr. Mahama emphasized the responsibility of Ghanaians to show the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) the exit in the upcoming elections in December. “My dear brothers and sisters, at this crossroads, we must unite—as one people who prioritize our nation—to give us a chance to succeed. For Ghana to reclaim its success, we urgently need to reset our governance and democratic systems. This can only occur if the current NPP government is rejected at the polls on December 7,” he explained.
He insisted that “Ghanaians must end this ‘horror movie’ they have been subjected to over the last eight years,” pledging that his government would protect the country’s public finances. He accused the Akufo-Addo administration of mismanaging the country’s resources, stating, “Indeed, as some people humorously say, they have not just emptied the public purse; they have stolen the purse itself.”
According to Mr. Mahama, the current administration lacks integrity, transparency, and accountability, asserting that the NPP will not take responsibility for the hardships inflicted on society. He pointed out that the government continues to insist it is not accountable for the damage to the economy, claiming that it cannot be held responsible for increasing the national debt from GH¢120 billion in 2016 to GH¢767 billion in 2024, with very little to show for it.
He also accused the current government of compelling the Central Bank to print more than GH¢70 billion, which contributed to an inflation rate of about 54% and resulted in the Bank of Ghana posting a loss of over GH¢60 billion.
For Mr. Mahama, the primary aim of democratic governance is to improve the living conditions of all citizens, including people with disabilities, retirees, and young people looking for jobs, in a tangible, sustainable, and equitable manner. He stated, “Democracy must be meaningful to citizens. It must deliver justice to the people. In a democracy, citizens should be free to criticize the government without the fear of a strange knock on their doors at night from partisan national security operatives.”
