In politics, perception often matters as much as performance. Sometimes, a government’s failures are so profound that they inadvertently rehabilitate the reputation of its predecessors. This phenomenon appears to have unfolded in Ghana under the administration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, whose governance record has led many citizens to reassess the leadership of his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama. Ironically, what once attracted strong criticism has, in comparison, looked almost admirable.

When John Dramani Mahama left office in 2017, public sentiment toward his administration was largely negative. Many Ghanaians blamed his government for economic instability, persistent power outages, popularly called 'dumsor' and rising public debt. These challenges contributed to the decisive electoral victory of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2016 Ghanaian general election, a moment widely interpreted as a national demand for competence, integrity, and economic revival.

The previous administration led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo came to power on a powerful promise to transform Ghana through disciplined economic management, anti-corruption reforms, one village one dam, one million dollars per constituency and many more bold flagship policies. Programs such as the Free Senior High School policy were introduced with much fanfare, and the government presented itself as a reform-driven alternative to what it described as years of mismanagement by their predecessor.

Yet, over time, the optimism that accompanied the early days of the Akufo-Addo government faded. Ghana’s economic trajectory faced serious turbulence, culminating in the country’s return to the International Monetary Fund for a financial bailout in 2023. Rising inflation, a sharply depreciating currency, ballooning public debt, growing youth unemployment and the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme – (DDEP) became defining features of the national conversation.

Critics argue that these outcomes reflect not merely global economic pressures but also policy missteps and governance challenges. Allegations of corruption, some which were visibly evident, controversies surrounding government contracts, and concerns about fiscal discipline further eroded public confidence. The promise of Ghana beyond aid rather became just a slogan rather than an actionable strategy. For many citizens, the promise of a new era of accountability appeared increasingly distant from the reality witnessed.

In this context, the public narrative surrounding John Dramani Mahama began to shift. Actions and policies once criticized started to look in retrospect, comparatively restrained or pragmatic. Infrastructure investments undertaken during his administration, including roads, hospitals, and energy projects, began to receive renewed attention. Hence, the return of John Dramani Mahama in January 2025.

This is not necessarily because Mahama’s administration has been retrospectively judged flawless. Rather, it reflects a broader political dynamic, when expectations for reform are high, disappointment can dramatically reshape public perception. In such moments, the past is often reinterpreted through the lens of present frustrations.

John Mahama is currently in the second year of his four-year term and there’s little to celebrate as people. Even though there are some signs of economic recovery, that has not been subjected to any global economic shocks yet.

A country with no clear and entrenched national development plan is not something to be celebrated, a country where 500,000 youths have to chase 5,000 jobs is not something to celebrate. This clearly illustrates the extent of rising youth unemployment, which poses a significant threat to national security, which must be a concern to every patriotic citizen.  A country where there’s so much corruption among the political elite and the youth are choking for survival is not to be celebrated. A country where it is still believed that you must be politically aligned to have opportunities cannot be celebrated. A country where former government officials who evidently loot the state for personal gains but cannot be held accountable by the current government cannot be celebrated.

The danger in this political cycle is the normalization and even celebration of mediocrity. When citizens compare governments primarily through relative disappointment rather than objective performance standards, the bar for leadership becomes dangerously low. Many Ghanaians use Akufo-Addo’s bad governance as the standard for the second coming of John Mahama. Instead of demanding excellence, the public discourse shifts toward identifying which administration was merely “less bad.” Many will agree that the latter end of Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration is evidence of how a country should NOT be governed, hence, it cannot be the standard for governance.

Ghana’s democracy, often praised as one of Africa’s most stable, deserves better than this race to the bottom. The country’s development requires leadership that rises above partisan comparisons and delivers measurable progress in governance, economic management, and institutional integrity.

Ultimately, the lesson is not that one leader is an angel and another a villain. The real issue is that poor governance has the power to distort political memory and cause a nation to celebrate mediocrity instead of excellence. When current failures overshadow past mistakes, yesterday’s criticized leader can appear almost heroic in our nation.

For Ghana, the challenge moving forward is clear: citizens must resist the temptation to celebrate mediocrity. Instead, they must insist on accountability, competence, and visionary leadership qualities that transcend individual political figures and define the true promise of democratic governance.