Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has criticized President John Mahama’s administration, describing its much-touted “reset” agenda as a failed political slogan that has delivered nothing but job losses, power outages, and political intimidation.
At a press briefing held on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) headquarters in Accra, Mr. Afenyo-Markin marked President Mahama’s 120th day in office with a blistering assessment of the government’s performance.
He accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of quickly abandoning its campaign promises and instead ushering in what he called a “negative reset” that has left many Ghanaians disillusioned and struggling.
“In his inaugural address, President Mahama promised swift and meaningful change. But what we’ve seen is a return to failed practices — flashy ceremonies, hollow slogans, and zero results,” he said.
He lambasted what he described as the government’s obsession with ceremonial project launches that lack follow-through.
“It’s all launch, launch, launch — but with no real delivery. “Meanwhile, the challenges facing ordinary Ghanaians grow worse by the day,” he remarked.
The Minority Leader further accused the Mahama administration of executing a politically motivated purge across the public sector, claiming that thousands of professionals in health, education, emergency services, and agriculture had been unjustly dismissed.
He warned that these actions had disrupted essential services and undermined the morale of Ghana’s public institutions.
He also raised alarm over alleged political interference in the security services, highlighting the dismissal of the Chief of Defence Staff and other senior military figures.
“This politicisation of the military threatens our national security and comes at a great financial cost to the state through forced gratuities,” he noted.
He accused the NDC of using security forces to harass political opponents.
Mr. Afenyo-Markins listed several incidents, including the February raid on former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s residence and the March search of former Bank of Ghana Governor Ernest Addison’s home.
“These actions evoke memories of the PNDC era — intimidation, fear, and the silencing of dissent,” he charged.
Energy insecurity also featured prominently in his address.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin pointed to the return of “dumsor,” Ghana’s long-dreaded power crisis, under Mahama’s watch.
He lamented the lack of a load-shedding timetable and criticised recent utility tariff hikes — a 14.75% increase in electricity and 4.02% in water — as tone-deaf to the economic plight of ordinary citizens.
“How can you promise a 24-hour economy when you can’t guarantee 24 hours of electricity?” he quipped, calling the administration’s flagship policy “a mirage built on contradictions.”
Mr. Afenyo-Markin urged President Mahama to pivot from what he termed “populism without policy” and instead focus on delivering tangible outcomes.
“Ghanaians deserve more than promises and pageantry. We need real governance, not PR stunts.
The first 120 days have failed to inspire confidence, and the so-called reset appears to be steering Ghana in the wrong direction,” he said.
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