Let me see by hands those who are surprised by the overwhelming and embarrassing defeat of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general elections. Oh! Most of you saw it coming, including the likes of the over-zealous communicators of the NPP who claimed they were winning. All I say is, ‘Ayekoo’ to the current outgoing government under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. I commend Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for taking the bold step to contest regardless of the odds against him and ultimately conceding defeat.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Esq. after two failed attempts at the presidency, won on his third amidst empathy. He pleaded with Ghanaians to give him a shot at leading the country. In fact, everyone who followed his political trajectory will admit he looked pathetic in his unsuccessful quest. There were so many factors against him, loudest was a dissection of his personal character and rumoured lifestyle. These underlining factors hurt his political career; he stayed resolute regardless. If he had not been given the nod, many a Ghanaian would’ve said, “he is the president Ghana never got”; a phrase used as the title for Manasseh Azure’s latest book. With less than a month for him to hand over the presidency to his predecessor cum successor, John Dramani Mahama, we know how his governance turned out.

He hit the road by appointing his ministers and government officials to aid him run the government. Critical amongst his ministers were Yaw Osafo Maafo and Albert Kan Dapaah, who both served under the government of former President John Agyekum Kufuor from 2001 to 2009. One would have expected that their expertise will come in handy in furtherance of government business, however the least said the better about their sordid performance. The outgoing NPP government was very dismissive and disrespectful of the needs of the people who gave them the authority to act on their behalf. Throughout their tenure, whenever majority of citizens complained against certain policies which were unfavourable or likely to cause hardship, they were quick to brush it off. They painted a picture as though all was well and the citizens should be grateful for having them manning the affairs of government.

Some of the unpopular taxes of the outgoing NPP government include; e-levy, COVID levy, ten percent (10%) betting tax, emissions tax amongst other draconian taxes. To add salt to injury, after contentiously passing the e-levy bill, the NPP Parliamentarians celebrated with an E-LEVY designed cake; displaying insensitivity. Whenever Ghanaians complained, the NPP communicators and foot soldiers were quick to respond dismissively or label anyone who did as an NDC sympathizer. It is akin to someone cooking and serving you food, then upon tasting it, you realise it’s quite salty and inform them and their response upon cross-tasting is that it is not. Ghanaians are telling you the economic hardship is unbearable and the NPP government and its cohorts were telling us it was fine because they were benefitting excessively.

The free senior high school (SHS) policy was laudable; however, the problem was its implementation. Ghanaians’ right to education is enshrined under Article 25(1) of the 1992 Constitution which states, “All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realisation of that right”. Article 25(1)(b) further states that, “secondary education in its different forms, including technical and vocational education, shall be made generally available and accessible to all by every appropriate means, and in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education;”. The operative word is progressive hence quality and efficiency are key in achieving that. It is not about having a mass output of SHS graduates who are half-baked and not fit for enterprise. Those who can afford it must be made to pay, there should have been a threshold for accessibility of free SHS which hugely caused the public purse. After all, though it is a right espoused by the Constitution, it is more so a privilege and not absolute.

The least said the better about scandals such as the COVID testing fee of one hundred and fifty United States Dollars (USD$150) by non-Ghanaians upon arrival at the Kotoka International Airport to a private entity, an allegedly extortionist operation. The digging of what is touted as the ‘most expensive depression (hole) in the world’; the foundation for the purported National Cathedral. A project which President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said was his appreciation of some sort to God for aiding him to ascend the presidency after over a decade of seeking it. The cost is reportedly pegged over fifty-eight million United States Dollars (USD$58,000,000+) amongst other gargantuan scandals which allegedly have caused financial loss to the state.

The confidence reposed in the post-2016 admirable statesman, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was shattered when he was sworn in as president at the young age of seventy-two (72) years. By which time, the once vibrant patriot who organised one of the grandest demonstrations in the history of Ghana dubbed, “Kume Preko” in 1995 in protest of the hardships the country was facing, was a shadow of his former self during his presidency. His campaign had also been heavily funded by a host of people to whom he was indebted, coupled with the consecutive disappointments; he was a broken man. Press freedom declined appallingly, media-gagging was rampant and he watched aloof. President-Elect John Mahama might have made the statement of figuratively being a ‘dead goat’, but President Nana Akufo-Addo acted as a ‘dead goat’ (Daddy Lumba’s ‘Yentie Obiaa’ plays in the backround).

As Kwame Nkrumah once said, “Ghanaians are not timid people as has been suggested in the foreign press. Far from it. They may be slow to anger, and may take their time to organize and act. But once they are ready, they strike, and strike hard. It pays no one to tamper with Ghanaian freedom and dignity.” The statement of the outcome of the 2024 elections to every politician or government official is “Do not take the Ghanaian electorate for granted.” The results are deafening.

In a nutshell, after all the hogwash and denigration Ghanaians had suffered and endured under this disappointing government, they waited patiently for 7^th December, 2024 to show them the kokoromoti (thumb) power. The voter turnout according to the Electoral Commission (EC), was a few decimals over sixty percent (60%). Recording the lowest since the 1992 general elections.

Also, apathy within the rank and file of the NPP resulted in their supporters not showing up to vote, leaving them at the mercy of enthusiastic supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). They turned out to vote overwhelmingly and decisively sending the elephant back to the bush; a phrase Dr. Arthur Kennedy used for his book after their 2008 defeat. Dr. Bawumia conceded early earning the admiration of many Ghanaians which eased the tension on the EC to diligently collate the results. NPP supporters shamefully say Ghana won. Did you see Ghana as a candidate on the ballot sheet?

The NDC won the elections, not Ghana. Ghana is bigger than any political party and its shenanigans. This unprecedented victory of more than one million, five hundred thousand votes between the NDC and NPP is surprising indeed! Congratulations to the President-Elect, John Dramani Mahama! Ghanaians will be watching critically as you execute your last term as president of our beloved country. God bless our homeland Ghana!

NANA FREDUA-AGYEMAN JNR.

Citizen, Republic of Ghana