Within the eight years since his defeat to Nana Addo within the 2016 normal election, Mr. Mahama has traveled the nation many instances, publicly and quietly admitting to celebration elites, supporters and most of the people a number of errors made by his authorities throughout its first time period (January 2013 to January 2017). In his enchantment for assist, he promised that if given a second likelihood to steer this nation, he would flip a brand new leaf and atone for his errors.
After Ghanaian voters got a second likelihood within the December 7, 2024 normal elections, it didn’t take six months of management by a brand new president for unbiased observers to see clear modifications throughout key sectors of the financial system and nationwide life usually. In some areas, reminiscent of financial stability, this restoration has been meteoric and unprecedented within the nation’s historical past.
However except the celebration and the federal government themselves handle the transition from Mahama to a brand new chief in a considerate method, there’s a threat that these beneficial properties from Mahama’s second coming will likely be undermined.
Many names are being talked about as potential candidates for the celebration’s presidential nomination within the upcoming 2028 election. Whereas I do not wish to hazard a guess as to a few of these names, I’ve been capable of collect a few of the wild names that aspiring celebration leaders have give you over completely different generations of celebration management, from the celebration’s inception to the present technology. From the technology of Rawlings to the technology of my good friend, Minister of Overseas Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
My info means that as many as 30 individuals have presidential ambitions, however what number of of them can muster the fortitude and sources essential to step into the ring and struggle it out is one other query. The hazard of this extremely crowded intraparty battle is that the federal government might be weakened and the president grow to be a lame duck greater than two years earlier than the tip of his time period. Already, a bitter alliance is forming, paying homage to the infighting that led to the NDC’s defeat within the 2000 normal election. Comparable inside conflicts additionally contributed to the NPP’s defeat in each the 2008 and 2016 elections.
Even essentially the most ardent critics will attest to the progress the Mahama authorities has made to this point in home and worldwide areas, particularly in stabilizing the financial system.
The financial system has recorded its finest efficiency when it comes to stability because the Nineteen Eighties. Nonetheless, it will also be argued that the financial efficiency of the previous 12 months and a half when it comes to macroeconomic stability has exceeded that of the Nineteen Eighties. It’s because the steadiness at the moment was artificially created and maintained by large donor assist. The present stability is only a by-product of home insurance policies and monetary sources, significantly concerning the Ghana Gold Board venture.
On the international coverage entrance, Ghana’s current adoption of a United Nations decision recognizing transatlantic slavery as a “grave crime towards humanity” and calling for reparations has introduced the nation again into the worldwide highlight, because it did through the time of the nation’s founder, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
The denial of $109 million in bilateral medical support from america to a U.S. pharmaceutical firm in change for delicate nationwide well being information was an indication of the Mahama authorities’s braveness, conviction, and patriotism on the worldwide stage. For many years, Western pharmaceutical corporations, with authorities assist, have used Africans as guinea pigs for medical analysis and experiments, leading to many African deaths. This evil act was typically carried out with the connivance and complicity of egocentric African leaders.
Ghana can be in a significantly better state of affairs now when it comes to press freedom. Ghana was ranked thirty ninthth Ranked a hundred and eightieth within the 2026 Reporters With out Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index. It is a vital restoration from 52nd place in 2025 and 62nd place in 2023.
Transparency Worldwide’s Corruption Perceptions Index improved solely barely, from 42 in 2024 to 43 (out of 100) in 2025, however the impunity seen previously concerning corruption has declined. Nonetheless, it’s within the space of corruption and perceptions of corruption that the Mahama authorities will face its best problem if the intra-party competitors for presidential succession isn’t correctly managed and controlled. For individuals who doubt this declare, the allegations of bribery and vote shopping for within the current NDC parliamentary primaries within the Ayawaso East constituency stand as proof of what’s going to occur to the picture and favorability of the Mahama authorities and celebration if steps should not taken to stop such conditions within the upcoming presidential primaries.
The robust problem to exchange Mahama might show pricey not solely to the president’s legacy but additionally to the nation’s progress within the closing two years of his time period. That is very true the place there’s ample proof that the subsequent two years have the potential to ship additional financial progress, significantly on essentially the most urgent problems with employment and infrastructure improvement. Not solely will the appointee’s consideration be diverted from his or her duties and duties to the nation, however there’s additionally a powerful chance that the appointee will sacrifice his or her duties to shift loyalty to the newly elected presidential candidate. Those that lose the competitors could discover themselves able of complacency throughout the authorities. Winners may isolate losers, whereas extra aggrieved people could even play the function of spoilers inside each authorities and celebration, as within the case of inside competitors in Ghana. This may be pricey for the nation.
My view is that the NDC management, together with the President himself, must buckle down, return to the roots of the celebration, and choose a presidential candidate by consensus, relatively than permitting harmful, divisive and financially costly inside competitors to undermine the collective goodwill of Ghanaians.
Dr. Abdul Hakim Ahmed
senior lecturer
Division of Political Science
Winneba Faculty of Training
E-mail: ahahmed@uew.edu.gh
