Abdul Rasheed, Deputy Organiser of the NDC in Nwabiagya South, says persistent power outages could erode public confidence in the Mahama administration if urgent action is not taken.

Persistent power outages, popularly known as dumsor, are threatening to undermine the credibility of President John Dramani Mahama’s government in the Ashanti Region, a Deputy Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned.

Abdul Rasheed, who serves as Deputy Organiser of the NDC in the Nwabiagya South Constituency, said the growing concerns over unreliable electricity supply could affect public confidence in the government if the situation was not addressed promptly.

Speaking in an interview with 3News on Thursday, October 29, 2026, he called on the government and relevant stakeholders in the energy sector to take urgent steps to restore stable electricity supply to affected communities.

Businesses and households bearing the impact

Mr Rasheed observed that reliable electricity was essential to the operations of businesses, institutions and households, warning that prolonged interruptions could impose financial and operational difficulties on residents.

He identified small-scale businesses as particularly vulnerable, noting that artisans, cold-store operators, food vendors and other business owners depend on consistent power to operate equipment, preserve goods and provide services.

According to him, unstable electricity supply can disrupt business activities, increase operating costs and threaten the livelihoods of people whose work depends heavily on power.

He stressed that the impact of the outages extended beyond inconvenience in homes, as businesses could suffer losses whenever electricity supply became unpredictable.

Calls for urgent intervention

The NDC officer urged the Ministry of Energy, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and other relevant agencies to intensify efforts to identify and resolve the causes of the interruptions.

He also called for improved communication with electricity consumers, urging authorities to provide clear information about the reasons for outages and the measures being taken to restore stable supply.

Mr Rasheed cautioned that the political implications of the situation should not be overlooked, arguing that residents would assess the government partly on its ability to deliver reliable public services.

He maintained that resolving the power supply concerns was important both to protect livelihoods and to sustain public confidence in the Mahama administration.

His warning adds to concerns about the effects of electricity disruptions on households and businesses in the Ashanti Region, with calls for the relevant authorities to address the situation and ensure a dependable supply.

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu argues that the country has many capable people who deserve opportunities to lead, cautioning against keeping one person in power for an extended period.

Private legal practitioner Martin Luther Kpebu has questioned the rationale behind the proposed extension of Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, arguing that the country has many talented individuals capable of occupying the highest office.

He believes Ghana should create opportunities for different people to lead rather than extend the period one individual remains in power.

Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kpebu said Ghanaians generally have strong opinions about leadership and do not appear to favour being governed by one person for more than eight years.

He likened the country’s political culture to its football culture, where almost everyone considers themselves qualified to coach the national team.

“Ghana is a land of 34 million presidents, just like we say in football; Ghana is a land of about 34 million coaches,” he said.

According to him, the abundance of people who believe they can lead the country reflects the availability of potential presidential talents who should be given opportunities to serve.

Questions prolonged presidential tenure

Mr Kpebu maintained that Ghana should be cautious about increasing the number of years a president can remain in office, stressing that the country should not be moving towards prolonged leadership by one individual.

He cited the United Kingdom as an example, pointing to the turnover of prime ministers as a model Ghana could consider in ensuring that leaders who fail to deliver can be replaced.

“Look at the UK, in 10 years, they’ve had seven Prime Ministers. So the moment a PM comes he’s not getting it right, they check him out. So that’s what we should be striving for. Not increasing the number of years for one man,” he stated.

Debate over five-year term proposal

His comments come amid discussions over a Constitutional Review Committee recommendation to extend Ghana’s presidential term from four years to five.

The committee has argued that a longer term could provide presidents with more time to implement policies and pursue long-term development programmes.

Mr Kpebu has previously opposed the proposal, raising concerns about corruption and the implications of extending presidential tenure.

The proposal remains part of the wider national debate on constitutional reform, governance and the appropriate duration of presidential office.

IMANI Africa Vice President says he and others will resist anyone advocating an extension of presidential tenure beyond the constitutionally permitted limit.

Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has issued a strong warning to individuals advocating a third-term presidential extension, declaring that he and others will deal with anyone who promotes such an agenda.

Mr Bentil’s comments, shared by TV3 Ghana, come amid renewed public debate over presidential term limits and discussions surrounding the possibility of President John Dramani Mahama seeking to remain in office beyond the constitutionally permitted two terms.

The IMANI Africa executive made it clear that he would not remain silent in the face of efforts to promote a third-term arrangement, signalling his readiness to join others in resisting such moves.

His warning adds to growing concerns among sections of the public and civil society over attempts to extend presidential tenure, an issue that has attracted political and constitutional attention in Ghana.

Debate over presidential term limits

Ghana’s 1992 Constitution provides for a four-year presidential term and prohibits anyone from being elected President for more than two terms.

The debate has resurfaced following comments by some individuals within the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) suggesting that President Mahama should be given another term beyond his current constitutional limit.

However, the President has repeatedly stated that he is not interested in a third term, according to Government Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who reiterated the position during a TV3 Key Points discussion on October 31, 2026.

The NPP has also taken the matter to the Supreme Court, seeking interpretation of aspects of the constitutional provisions governing presidential term limits and eligibility.

Mr Bentil’s warning comes as political actors, legal practitioners and civil society figures continue to express differing views on the third-term debate.

In September 2026, he backed a separate proposal to extend the length of Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, arguing that a longer term could improve governance and accountability. That proposal, however, is distinct from allowing a president to serve more than two terms.

His latest comments underline his opposition to any attempt to extend an individual president’s tenure beyond the constitutional limit.

The debate is expected to remain part of Ghana’s national political conversation as stakeholders discuss constitutional safeguards, presidential succession and the protection of the country’s democratic arrangements.

The opposition party has petitioned the US Embassy to suspend diplomatic courtesies for affected passport holders and called for an independent audit of documents issued since January 2025.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has raised concerns over the alleged issuance of Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports to individuals who do not occupy the official positions used to justify their applications.

In a petition dated October 30, 2026, and signed by its General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the party asked the United States Embassy in Accra to suspend diplomatic courtesies for holders of the passports in question until their eligibility is independently verified.

The NPP cited two approval letters issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 6 and 7, 2026, covering six individuals described as officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Fisheries Commission.

The individuals named are Twumasi Francis Kwame, Shaibu Alhassan Abu, Gyabaah Anthony, Issah Ayisha, Bennor Yussif and Adom Emmanuel Kwabena.

According to the party, the positions attributed to the six beneficiaries were either occupied by other officers or did not exist within the institutions concerned.

NPP identifies alleged discrepancies

The party said the first approval letter listed three individuals as NADMO officials, describing them as Deputy Director of Climate Change, Director of Hydro and Director of Geology.

However, the NPP claimed those positions were held by other officers, whom it identified as Ebenezer Vandyke, Dr Bertha Kusimi and Bright Atama.

Regarding the Fisheries Commission, the party alleged that the designation of Deputy Director of Aquaculture Specialist did not exist, while the positions of Deputy Director of Information Technology and Assistant Finance Manager were also inaccurately represented.

The NPP argued that the alleged discrepancies raised questions about the basis on which the passports were approved, particularly because the Ministry’s letters reportedly stated that the documents were intended strictly for official use.

Calls for verification and audit

The party has asked the US Mission to subject Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports issued from January 7, 2025, to enhanced verification, including direct confirmation of holders’ official positions with the institutions they claim to represent.

It has also urged the Ghanaian government to suspend passports issued to ineligible persons, publish a comprehensive list of diplomatic and service passports issued since January 2025, and commission an independent audit led by the Auditor-General or another independent body.

The NPP further wants passports found to have been issued irregularly revoked and recovered, with anyone found culpable referred for investigation and possible prosecution.

The allegations have not, in the reports available, been independently established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the institutions named.

The controversy comes against the background of a passport recall exercise announced by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in January 2025, which sought to retrieve official passports from persons no longer serving in qualifying state positions.

The NPP says its latest petition is intended to protect Ghana’s national interest while ensuring that legitimate state officials are not inconvenienced when travelling on official assignments.

A New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth organiser has dismissed suggestions that the party’s criticism of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is driven by personal hatred, insisting that the concerns being raised are centred on accountability, transparency and responsible leadership.

The youth organiser maintained that the NPP’s position should not be misconstrued as a personal attack against Ablakwa, stressing that public officials must be prepared to answer questions about their actions and decisions while occupying positions of public trust.

According to the organiser, demanding explanations from a government appointee does not amount to hatred or political persecution but forms part of the democratic responsibility of opposition parties and citizens to hold those in authority accountable.

The organiser further argued that public office comes with enormous responsibilities and that no individual, regardless of political affiliation or position, should be shielded from scrutiny.

The comments come amid political exchanges between the NPP and the government over issues involving Ablakwa, with the opposition raising questions and demanding answers on matters it considers to be in the public interest.

The NPP youth organiser insisted that the party’s concerns should be addressed on their merits rather than dismissed as politically motivated attacks.

The organiser also underscored the importance of transparency in governance, arguing that public confidence in government institutions depends largely on the willingness of public officials to provide clear explanations when concerns are raised about their conduct.

The remarks reinforce the NPP’s position that accountability must remain a central pillar of democratic governance, regardless of which political party is in power.

“We don’t hate Ablakwa; we demand accountability” is the central message from the NPP youth organiser, as the political debate over the Foreign Affairs Minister continues.