David Ofosu-Dorte, Senior Partner at AB & David Africa, has issued a cautionary statement to President John Dramani Mahama and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, warning that the government’s biggest threat is not its critics, but its own potential for complacency.
Speaking at the Crystal Ball Africa 2026 programme at the Labadi Beach Hotel on January 22, the veteran analyst and legal strategist argued that the Mahama administration must resist the urge to rest on its early first-year laurels.
Under the theme “The Africa Opportunity – Time to take advantage,” Mr. Ofosu-Dorte noted that the psychological response to success is as critical as the response to failure.
Mr. Ofosu-Dorte suggested that while failure can either paralyze or ignite a “starting again” spirit, success often carries the hidden danger of dulling a government’s competitive edge and urgency.
“When you fail it can either make you essentially despondent or bore you to start again. When you succeed too, it can either spare you or make you complacent. So either way it is not the event—your success or your failure. It’s your response to that,” he explained.
Reflecting on the NDC’s return to power, he urged the president and his cabinet to maintain the momentum of their “Reset” agenda.
“I think the biggest risk [to John Mahama] is whether the government becomes complacent or not. I think they [NDC government] should ride on their success to go to the next step,” he added.
The warning comes as the Mahama administration enters its second year with a portfolio of significant early achievements.
Since being sworn in on January 7, 2025, the government has moved aggressively to fulfill its ‘Social Contract’ with the Ghanaian people.
Beyond domestic policy, Mr. Ofosu-Dorte’s comments highlight Mahama’s attempt to position Ghana as a leader in global health and governance reform.
The “Accra Reset” initiative, launched at the 80th UN General Assembly, seeks to reimagine a global health order that empowers nations toward self-determination.
Key Achievements in the 2025 “Reset” Year:
- Fiscal Discipline: Inheriting inflation at 23.8%, the government successfully brought it down to 6.3% by November 2025.
- Debt Transformation: Public debt dropped from 61.8% of GDP to 45.0% in just 10 months, marking one of the sharpest reductions in the nation’s history.
- The “Big Push”: Launched a $10 billion accelerated infrastructure plan, which includes massive road projects in the Western North Region and the 30-year Ghana Infrastructure Plan (GIP).
- Social Interventions: Implementation of the “No-Academic-Fee” policy for first-year tertiary students and the launch of MahamaCares to provide healthcare for vulnerable groups.
- Tax Reliefs: Abolition of the “nuisance” COVID-19 Levy, E-Levy, and Betting Tax to ease the cost of doing business.
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