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RESETTING GHANA – ONE YEAR IN RETROSPECT

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By Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide

‘A comparatively peaceful year in retrospect’, is how a 70-year-old retired academic described President Mahama’s first year in office.

From the observers’ seat, let me say without any fear of contradiction that as citizens we are pleased with the progress made so far by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by President John Dramani Mahama.

A year after, the overwhelming mandate that returned the NDC to government under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama was more than an electoral outcome. It was a national call for a #Reset in leadership, governance and public trust. However, it was in the days that followed, during the complex transition from one administration to another, that this mandate found its first and most enduring expression.

First, the transition itself set the tone. It unfolded with calm, cooperation and adherence to Ghana’s constitution, without the usual fallouts. In his inaugural address on January 07/2025 President Mahama declared that Ghana was open for business.

Unlike nations grappling with uncertainty, Ghana chose continuity and dialogue over conflict and disruption. State institutions held firm, security agencies remained professional and the transfer of responsibility took place with dignity and restraint. More than a procedural success, this peaceful handover reassured citizens, investors and partners alike that, change in leadership does not mean instability in the state. In fact, it laid the foundation upon which renewal and the #Reset Ghana, could take root.

From that foundation, government moved quickly into action. Within weeks, the John Mahama–led NDC Government signaled discipline and purpose:

• Institutional discipline: Cabinet Ministers were nominated within 14 days and approved by Parliament, the leanest government under the Fourth Republic was constituted within 90 days, a Code of Conduct for public officials operationalised, and a National Economic Dialogue convened to ground policy in consultation.

• Relief for households: The E-Levy, Betting Tax, and Emissions Levy were scrapped, while COVID levy was absorbed into VAT reforms.

• Human-centred reforms: The “No-Academic-Fee” policy for first-year tertiary students, free tertiary education for Persons with Disabilities was launched; free sanitary pads were rolled out for schoolgirls; and MahamaCares (The Ghana Medical Trust Fund became operational. These affirmed that the #Reset in governance, needed to begin with dignity.

• Strategic economic renewal: Job-creation programmes such as Adwumawura, the National Apprenticeship Programme and One Million Coders were launched, and Goldbod was established as a cornerstone of forex mobilization.

Meanwhile, the economy began to stabilise. Where uncertainty once prevailed, confidence gradually returned:

• Inflation declined and interest rates eased, dropping from January’s 23.5% rate to single digits, 6.3% in November and even lower in December.

• The debt burden reduced, the cedi regained strength and import cover lengthened from weeks to months.

• Fiscal discipline improved, signaling not merely technical recovery but the careful rebuilding of the social contract between state and citizen—restoring predictability for households and credibility for businesses.

Across key sectors, our reforms were visible.

• Education: Funding for the future of Free SHS was secured, national research fund was launched; and 154,000 students benefited from “No Fees Stress”.

• Health: The NHIS was uncapped; revenue rose to GHS 9.76bn; 13,000 nurses received financial clearance; a 2-year backlog of Pharmacy doctors paid, and the Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund was established.

• Energy & Digital Economy: Solar investments commenced; data value more than doubled while consumer costs fell; and household media prices were reduced.

• Agriculture: Feed Ghana, boreholes, irrigation dam rehabilitation, and targeted food inflation control restored agriculture’s strategic role in food security.

• Infrastructure & Local Government: The Big Push policy was launched with a plan, and the sod cutting for various road construction to begin, cleared huge contraction debts and laid foundations for growth, while affordable housing and timely payment of District Assembly Common Fund releases have been duly implemented.

Equally important, accountability was pursued deliberately. Thanks to Operation Recover all Loot(ORAL) Investigations into corruption, prosecutions for acts of malfeasance, legacy challenges from the banking sector to major procurement and infrastructure projects have sent a clear message: a #Reset is not only about new programmes, but about restoring integrity to public life. Where reforms remain unfinished, they have been acknowledged openly, which clearly demonstrates the government’s commitment to good governance and transparency.

In retrospect, this year marks a period of unprecedented progress. The confidence placed in President Mahama and the NDC did not merely endorse a government; it entrusted a vision of a Ghana renewed in governance,fairness, steadiness and shared purpose.

Looking ahead, the task is clear.

• To consolidate our economic recovery into lasting stability;

• To accelerate industrial growth, job creation and digital transformation; and

• To enhance institutional reform so that accountability becomes the enduring culture of governance.

If the first year essentially restored trust, President Mahama and his government aim to translate that trust into even more tangible transformation for our people.

Guided by the calm leadership and anchored in the mandate for renewal, Ghana now stands poised not merely to recover but to forge forward with confidence and collective purpose.

President Mahama says, that his comeback must count.

Article by Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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LOUIS APPIAH APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF EVENTS AND PROGRAMMES FOR NPP NATIONAL YOUTH WING

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Louis Appiah, popularly known as Commander OD4, has been appointed Director of Events and Programmes for the National Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), bringing his years of experience in student leadership, grassroots mobilisation and party organisation to the national level.

The appointment, reported on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, is expected to see him play a key role in coordinating activities, organising programmes and supporting the mobilisation efforts of the party’s youth wing.

Appiah has built his political career through various leadership positions, beginning with student politics at Koforidua Technical University (KTU), where he served as Finance Officer of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC). He later became Eastern Regional SRC President and National Director of Finance for the University of Cape Coast’s Distance Education Students’ Association of Ghana (DESAG-UCC).

Within the NPP, he served as President of the Tertiary Students Confederacy Network (TESCON) at KTU during the 2011/2012 academic year before taking up roles at the polling station and constituency levels.

From 2018 to 2022, Appiah served as New Juaben South Constituency Youth Organiser, where he was involved in grassroots organisation and mobilisation. He also served as Director of Operations for the NPP during the 2020 general elections and reportedly held a deputy campaign coordination role in the constituency ahead of the 2024 elections.

His experience in party communication also forms part of his background, having been active in the NPP Communication Wing since 2011.

The new appointment comes as the NPP’s national leadership prepares to strengthen party structures and organise its activities ahead of the 2028 general elections.

As Director of Events and Programmes, Appiah is expected to contribute to the planning and coordination of youth-wing activities, although the full details of his official mandate have not been publicly outlined in the reports reviewed.

His appointment adds another responsibility to a political journey spanning student leadership, constituency organisation and national campaign activities.

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ADEHYE FM MORNING SHOW HOST FILES FOR NDC ASHANTI REGIONAL DEPUTY SECRETARY POSITION

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Popular broadcaster Prince Ofori Atta, host of Adehye FM’s morning show, has officially filed his nomination to contest for the position of Deputy Ashanti Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), outlining his ambition to strengthen the party’s structures ahead of the 2028 general elections.

Mr Ofori Atta filed his nomination forms at the NDC’s regional party headquarters on Thursday, October 15, 2026, formally advancing his bid for the influential regional executive position.

Campaigning under the banner “POA2026,” the journalist says his ambition is driven by the need to improve party administration, strengthen communication and reconnect the regional leadership with grassroots members.

Speaking after filing his forms, Mr Ofori Atta urged party delegates to prioritise competence, experience and leadership ability when choosing their next Deputy Regional Secretary.

He also cautioned against allowing financial inducements to dominate the internal electoral process, arguing that the party’s organisational strength and readiness for future elections should take precedence over monetary considerations.

His campaign is built around the themes “Service Above All” and “Changing the Narratives,” with proposed priorities including improved political education, greater youth participation and more effective communication between regional executives and constituency officers.

If elected, he says he intends to help establish a more proactive regional secretariat capable of supporting constituency and branch executives, coordinating party activities and improving the flow of information throughout the region.

The Deputy Regional Secretary position is an important administrative role within the party’s regional structure, supporting the Regional Secretary in coordinating activities and implementing decisions.

Ofori Atta’s entry adds a media personality to the contest as the NDC prepares to select regional executives who will help manage its organisation and mobilisation in the Ashanti Region.

With the 2028 general elections on the horizon, the race is expected to focus on candidates’ ability to strengthen grassroots engagement, promote unity and improve internal party coordination.

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NPP REJECTS EMELIA AGBENYO’S EC APPOINTMENT, DEMANDS MAHAMA WITHDRAW NOMINATION

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The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has mounted a strong objection to President John Dramani Mahama’s appointment of Emelia Afi Agbenyo as a Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), demanding that the President withdraw the appointment over concerns about her political neutrality.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, and signed by its National Communications Director, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the NPP argued that Ms Agbenyo’s previous involvement in the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) raises questions about her ability to discharge her duties impartially at the electoral management body.

The party cited her reported role as the NDC’s governance sector spokesperson during the preparation of its 2024 manifesto, as well as her alleged participation in campaign rallies and activities ahead of the 2024 general elections.

According to the NPP, appointing someone with such a political background to the leadership of an institution responsible for organising elections could undermine public confidence in the electoral process, particularly as the country approaches the 2028 general elections.

The party also accused President Mahama of contradicting his earlier position on political appointments to the Electoral Commission. It recalled that in March 2023, he reportedly criticised the appointment of individuals he described as party activists to the Commission and advocated an amendment to Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to require parliamentary approval for such appointments.

The NPP has consequently called on the President to withdraw Ms Agbenyo’s appointment and urged the Council of State to explain the advice it provided regarding the decision.

The party further wants the ongoing constitutional review process to address the appointment of Electoral Commission members, arguing that reforms are necessary to strengthen confidence in the institution’s independence.

However, the concerns raised by the NPP represent the party’s position and do not, by themselves, establish that Ms Agbenyo would perform her duties with political bias.

Ms Agbenyo was sworn into office on October 12 alongside Dr Joseph Kwaku Asamoah. President Mahama urged both appointees to perform their constitutional responsibilities independently and impartially, without favouring any political party or candidate.

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NPP HALTS CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES: Parliamentary Aspirants Face Disciplinary Action Over Early Campaigning

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The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has directed all prospective parliamentary aspirants to immediately cease campaign activities, warning that violators could face disciplinary sanctions, including consequences for their eligibility to contest.

In a statement dated October 11, 2026, and signed by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, the party said it had received numerous complaints about members seeking parliamentary positions who had begun campaigning in various constituencies ahead of the official timetable.

According to the statement, the activities contravene the party’s regulations and Code of Conduct, creating an uneven playing field and threatening the unity and discipline required for the party’s success.

The directive takes immediate effect and covers all prospective parliamentary aspirants, their agents and supporters. They have been ordered to suspend every form of campaign activity until further notice.

Among the prohibited activities are mounting posters, billboards, banners and other branded materials; organising rallies, polling station executives’ meetings or constituency tours to solicit support; distributing items or inducements to delegates and party members; and running paid media or social media advertisements promoting a candidature.

The party has also warned its officers at polling station, electoral area, constituency, regional and national levels, as well as the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON), against promoting prospective aspirants on social media or facilitating premature campaign activities.

The statement cautioned that anyone who fails to comply would be dealt with under the party’s disciplinary procedures, with possible implications for their eligibility to contest in the party’s parliamentary primaries.

Meanwhile, the NPP leadership said the timetable and guidelines for its parliamentary processes would be announced in due course. Constituency and regional executives have been tasked with ensuring strict compliance within their respective jurisdictions.

The directive signals the party leadership’s intention to maintain order in its internal electoral processes and prevent aspirants from gaining an early advantage before the official campaign period begins.

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MAHAMA EMBARKS ON TWO-DAY AHAFO TOUR: PRESIDENT SETS SIGHTS ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT UNDER ‘RESETTING GHANA’ AGENDA

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President John Dramani Mahama has begun a two-day working visit to the Ahafo Region as part of his nationwide ‘Resetting Ghana’ tour, with attention expected to focus on development priorities and engagement with local communities.

President John Dramani Mahama has commenced a two-day working visit to the Ahafo Region as part of his broader Resetting Ghana agenda, an initiative associated with his administration’s vision for national development and improved governance.

The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for the President to engage with regional stakeholders, assess local development needs and discuss issues affecting residents and communities across the region.

The Ahafo tour also places the region’s development priorities in focus, particularly concerns relating to infrastructure, employment, healthcare, education and economic opportunities. However, the specific projects and policy issues scheduled for discussion during the visit have not been confirmed in the information provided.

As part of the working tour, attention will be on the President’s engagements with local authorities and other stakeholders, as well as any announcements or commitments that may emerge from the visit.

The Resetting Ghana agenda has been presented as a broader framework for addressing national challenges and improving the country’s development trajectory. The Ahafo visit offers another opportunity for the administration to engage with people at the regional level and hear concerns about local conditions and priorities.

Residents and other stakeholders will be watching closely for concrete outcomes from the engagements, including any commitments on development projects, public services and economic growth.

The central question is what tangible benefits the two-day visit will deliver for the people of Ahafo and how any commitments made will translate into action.

Further details on the President’s itinerary, scheduled meetings and specific announcements are needed to establish the full scope of the visit.

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