Ghanaian social commentator and staunch NPP supporter, P.K. Sarpong, has questioned the involvement of businessman Ibrahim Mahama in the healthcare of Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, raising serious concerns about governance, transparency, and the boundaries between private influence and public office.
In a passionate public statement titled “Whispers from the Corridors of the Thinking Place,” Sarpong expressed alarm that a private individual, particularly the brother of former President John Mahama, would be allowed to play such a significant role in the wellbeing of the sitting Vice President. He suggested that the Vice President’s medical care should be fully managed and funded by the state, not by individuals with close political ties.
“If Ghana isn’t a place where mediocrity is celebrated, why should the healthcare of the Vice President be the responsibility of a private individual?” Sarpong asked. “The Vice President’s sickness is the responsibility of the state. Who’s running the country? Ibrahim Mahama or John Mahama?”
His comments follow reports that Ibrahim Mahama may have been involved in facilitating or funding aspects of the Vice President’s medical treatment. While details remain unclear, Sarpong’s statement reflects a growing concern within opposition circles about blurred lines between public duty and private influence. He demanded that the government disclose how much Ibrahim Mahama spent on the Vice President’s healthcare and how much was officially covered by the state.
“What is he getting in return? There’s nothing like a free lunch, we’ve been made to believe,” Sarpong asserted, questioning the motivations behind Mahama’s involvement. He argued that such arrangements create dangerous precedents where loyalty and political favors may be exchanged behind closed doors.
Sarpong also criticized the silence of civil society organizations and political commentators, many of whom he accused of being co-opted through appointments under John Mahama’s political influence. According to him, their lack of response undermines their credibility as independent vioces. Ending on a dramatic and culturally loaded note, Sarpong lamented the state of the nation with the phrase, “Reset ooo! Reset ooo! This is it? Yɛrekɔ didi, yɛrekɔ didi, sɛɛ na asu kooko! Apuuuu!” — a rhetorical outcry that paints a picture of disillusionment with Ghana’s leadership and direction.
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