By Adu Koranteng
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has launched a scathing critique of President John Dramani Mahama’s first 120 days in office, describing the period as marked by “disappointment, deception, and failed promises.”
Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, Afenyo-Markin said the much-heralded “reset” promised by the Mahama administration has turned out to be nothing more than a “relapse,” accusing the government of failing to deliver on its pledges and instead engaging in populist tactics and political victimisation.
> “This government came into office with no clear plan, no strategy, and certainly no innovative ideas to solve the problems of Ghanaians,” he declared. “All we have seen is populism without policy, lamentations without leadership, and persecution of political opponents.”
Flagship Policy Abandoned
The Minority Leader singled out the Mahama administration’s flagship policy—the 24-Hour Economy—as an example of the government’s failure to implement meaningful reforms.
> “Even their so-called ‘24-Hour Economy’ has been quietly abandoned,” Afenyo-Markin claimed. “Instead, Ghanaians are being subjected to endless ceremonial launches and announcements aimed more at public relations than tangible results.”
According to him, the government has chosen optics over outcomes, engaging in what he described as “a parade of empty launches” instead of focusing on credible and sustainable solutions.
Job Losses and Youth Unemployment
Afenyo-Markin further accused the government of exacerbating the country’s unemployment crisis through mass dismissals of public sector workers.
He alleged that thousands of Ghanaian youth and senior public servants—many of whom had been legally employed since 2017—have been unjustly sacked since President Mahama took office.
> “The first act of this government was not to create jobs but to destroy them,” the Minority Leader stated. “These politically motivated dismissals have thrown many young Ghanaians into joblessness, not because of performance issues, but simply due to political vendetta.”
He added that the dismissals had disrupted public service delivery and created instability within key institutions.
Call for Accountability
Concluding his address, Afenyo-Markin urged the government to move beyond “ceremonial politics” and begin delivering on its promises.
> “Governance is not about pomp and pageantry—it is about performance. Ghanaians deserve more than slogans and photo-ops,” he said.
The Minority Leader indicated that his side of Parliament would continue to hold the government accountable on behalf of the Ghanaian people.
READ FULL STATEMENT
PRESS ADDRESS BY THE MINORITY LEADER, OSAHEN ALEXANDER AFENYO-MARKIN ON THE STATE OF GOVERNANCE UNDER PRESIDENT MAHAMA’S FIRST 120 DAYS IN OFFICE; Exposing the True Colours of the Umbrella: 120 Days of Disappointment and Deception.
INTRODUCTION
Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, fellow Ghanaians,
Welcome to this all-important press briefing. Today, we expose the true colours of the umbrella and present to the people of Ghana the real state of our nation after President Mahama and the NDC’s first 120 days in government.
Yesterday, 7th May, 2025, marked exactly 120 days since His Excellency John Dramani Mahama was sworn into office. In the lead-up to that moment, and again in his inaugural speech, the President boldly declared a “reset” for Ghana: a 120-day social contract, promising swift action, meaningful change and tangible results across key sectors.
We, the Minority, have watched these 120 days closely, and today, we speak on behalf of the millions of Ghanaians who feel let down and disappointed, and are already burdened by the consequences of what has proven to be a Negative Reset by this government.
What has been the reality in these 120 days?
In these 120 days, all we have seen is populism without policy, lamentations without leadership, retaliatory politics, persecution of political opponents and complaints without credible solutions. This government came into office with no clear plan, no strategy, and certainly no innovative ideas to solve the problems of Ghanaians.
They rode on the back of slogans, sweet-sounding but empty promises, crafted to win votes, not to govern. The result? Excuses upon excuses.
What Ghanaians are witnessing is not a reset. It is a RELAPSE. A government overwhelmed by the weight of its own deception—struggling, stumbling, and failing miserably.
They have failed to deliver on any tangible policy. Even their so-called “24-Hour Economy”, their flagship policy, has been abandoned. Instead, they are in a hurry to launch and announce. Majoring in the minors just to buy time.
It has been a parade of optics: launch, launch, launch—all just to tick boxes and deceive Ghanaians into thinking something meaningful is happening. They are busy congratulating themselves for no work done.
We want to remind this government that it is not about the number of flashy launches they stage, they should deliver on what they promised, sustainably and credibly.
These so-called launches are at best empty ceremonies, loud beginnings with no substance and no end in sight.
Let us now turn to the substance and break it down one by one
1. JOBS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT: BROKEN PROMISES, MASS DISMISSALS (starting from 7th January)
One of the loudest promises made by President Mahama and the NDC was to create jobs and prioritise youth employment. Yet, after 120 days into office, this promise has not only been broken, but it has also been reversed. They have rather worsened the unemployment situation.
The very first act of the NDC government upon assuming office was to sack thousands of Ghanaian youth and senior public servants who were legitimately employed into the Public Sector, many of whom were employed as far back as 2017. Right from his first day in office, President Mahama initiated a wave of politically motivated dismissals across key public institutions. These actions created disruptions in public service delivery and institutional continuity.
Ghanaian youth who had gone through proper recruitment processes have now been rendered jobless for no reason other than political vindictiveness. Professionals, many with several years of technical experience were removed from their positions, especially in strategic sectors like health, agriculture, education, and emergency response. Targeted Agencies include:
· Ghana Health Service: Senior directors and administrators replaced abruptly, stalling ongoing public health programs and vaccine rollouts.
· NADMO: Key disaster management personnel dismissed. The replacements lacked hands-on emergency coordination experience, increasing the risk of poor response in crisis situations.
· COCOBOD: Professionals managing cocoa pricing, extension services, and farmer support programs were shown the door, potentially destabilizing support for the cocoa sector.
· GES, GRA, Ghna Maritime Authority, etc
The Education Minister, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, acknowledged the outcry and spoke of “validating” affected teachers. Yet to date we have no evidence that any of these dismissed teachers have been reinstated.
These mass dismissals have not only worsened the already high unemployment rate but have also created adverse consequences such as:
· severe economic and social hardships on the affected individuals and their families. Some are struggling to afford even the most basic necessities like food.
· Loss of institutional memory and expertise.
· Delays in project implementation and policy follow-through.
· A demoralised public service culture where loyalty now overrides competence.
· Public Frustration: The promise of a “government for all” quickly shifted to one that favored party loyalists and cronies.
Ironically, this government deceived Ghanaian youth with a so-called “1-3-3” jobs model—a policy that claims three individuals will work round the clock in 3 shifts to power a 24-hour economy. The very foundation of a 24-hour economy demands expansion, not shrinking of the workforce. And yet, this government has chosen to dismiss thousands of qualified workers. You didn’t create the jobs so why take it from them. Why this contradiction?
The truth is simple: the NDC government is not serious about jobs. It is not serious about youth employment. And it is certainly not serious about building any so-called 24-hour economy.
And let’s not forget, many of the affected individuals actually voted for them, believing in their vision to provide jobs…They have been deceived!
Their promise to “create an enabling environment” for businesses has translated into a “wait-and-see” approach – a complete lack of policy direction for the private sector.
DISMISSAL OF ARMY GENERALS
This government dismissed the entire leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces, including the Chief of Defence Staff, all service chiefs, and no fewer than 12 senior officers holding 2-star, 3-star, and even 4-star ranks. These seasoned officers were forced into premature retirement, only to be replaced by relatively junior personnel—most notably, the unprecedented appointment of a 1-star General as Chief of Defence Staff. This mass restructuring has not only dealt a blow to military morale but has also placed a significant financial burden on the state due to early gratuity payments. More worryingly, it undermines the institutional memory, discipline, and chain of command within our armed forces. At a time when national security demands stability and professionalism, this administration has instead chosen to politicise the military.
