Opposition Declares Mahama’s First 120 Days a Failure

Ghana’s political opposition has delivered a scathing assessment of President John Mahama’s initial months in office, accusing his administration of broken promises and governance failures.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, addressing journalists at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) headquarters, characterized the government’s much-touted “reset” agenda as fundamentally flawed.

“The president promised swift, meaningful change, but Ghanaians have received only flashy project launches without substance,” Afenyo-Markin stated. His critique focused on three key areas: employment, national security, and energy policy. The opposition claims the administration began its term by dismissing thousands of public sector workers across critical institutions including the Ghana Health Service, COCOBOD, and the Ghana Revenue Authority, actions they describe as politically motivated purges.

The minority leader saved particular criticism for the government’s handling of the military, noting the dismissal of the Chief of Defence Staff and numerous senior officers had compromised institutional stability. “At a time demanding security sector continuity, we’ve seen dangerous politicization of our armed forces,” he asserted. These claims come alongside allegations of state security agencies being weaponized against political opponents, with Afenyo-Markin citing multiple high-profile raids on former officials’ residences.

Energy policy emerged as another flashpoint, with the opposition highlighting the return of power outages and recent tariff increases as evidence of policy contradictions. “How can you promise a 24-hour economy while failing to maintain stable electricity supply?” Afenyo-Markin questioned, contrasting current challenges with the NPP’s record in government.

The minority’s comprehensive critique presents a challenging narrative for the Mahama administration as it seeks to establish its governance credentials. With the opposition framing these first months as indicative of broader governance failures, the government now faces mounting pressure to demonstrate tangible progress beyond ceremonial launches and political rhetoric. How the administration responds to these criticisms may set the tone for Ghana’s political discourse in the coming years.