Politics
RESETTING GHANA – ONE YEAR IN RETROSPECT
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
Politics
NPP Treasurer Denies Dues Diversion Claims, Warns Against Fake Payment Shortcode
The Office of the National Treasurer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), led by Dr. Charles Dwamena, has firmly dismissed allegations circulating on social media that party dues are being diverted into a private account through an unauthorized shortcode.
In a statement addressing the claims, the Office described the reports, which originated from a Facebook page known as “Wo Boooowa,” as false, malicious, and intended to discredit the party’s ongoing dues collection efforts.
The Treasurer’s Office clarified that the NPP’s official shortcode for dues payment remains unchanged and is 920270#. It stressed that the alternative shortcode 7142028#, currently being circulated online, has never been used by the party for any financial transactions.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Party’s dues collection shortcode has always been 920270#,” the statement reiterated.
Party members, supporters, and the general public have been urged to ignore the unauthorized code, which the Office described as a deliberate attempt to mislead unsuspecting individuals.
The Office further assured stakeholders of the transparency, credibility, and integrity of the party’s financial systems.
This incident underscores increasing concerns about the spread of misinformation on social media, particularly within political circles, as the NPP approaches its internal elections.

Politics
FROM VISION TO ACTION: DR. CHINA’S GRASSROOTS REVOLUTION THE NPP CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS
Dr. Charles Dwamena, popularly known as Dr. China, has distinguished himself as a visionary and grassroots-centered leader whose ideas reflect a deep understanding of the realities of party members at the base. At a time when many speak about empowering the grassroots, he has demonstrated the courage and clarity to design practical systems that directly improve their welfare.
As NPP National Treasurer, his proposal of the Group Accident Insurance Scheme remains one of the most forward-thinking policies ever introduced within the party. It was simple, sustainable, and impactful. With just GHS 1.47 deducted from the minimum annual dues of GHS 24, every member in good standing would have been covered, guaranteeing GHS 100,000 for accidental death or permanent disability, weekly income support for temporary disability, and up to GHS 10,000 in medical care. This was not merely a welfare policy; it was a strategic intervention that combined member protection with financial strengthening of the party.
What makes this initiative even more compelling is that it enjoyed 98.14% support from the grassroots. A clear indication that Dr. China’s leadership resonates with the base and responds directly to their needs. It was a rare opportunity for the party to institutionalize care, build loyalty, and create a strong emotional bond with its members.
Yet, despite its overwhelming support and obvious benefits, this policy was frustrated and never implemented. That failure represents one of the biggest missed opportunities for the NPP, a chance to move from rhetoric to reality in addressing grassroots welfare. The party had before it a ready-made solution to protect its members, motivate its base, and strengthen its internal systems, but internal bottlenecks denied it that breakthrough.
It is within this context that Dr. China’s ambition to serve as NPP General Secretary becomes both relevant and urgent. His experience as Treasurer has exposed the gaps in execution and the structural constraints that stall progress. More importantly, it has strengthened his resolve to fix them.
Dr. China is not offering promises; he is offering proven ideas waiting to be implemented. His vision is clear—to build a party where the grassroots are not only mobilized during elections but are protected, valued, and supported at all times.
In essence, what was halted at the level of Treasurer can be fully realized at the level of General Secretary. And for a party seeking renewal and reconnection with its base, Dr. China represents a practical, results-oriented leadership, one that turns vision into action and places the grassroots at the center of party progress.

DR CHINA FOR NPP GENERAL SECRETARY IS NON- NEGOTIABLE
Obiri Yeboah
Former Polling Station Organizer
054 067 3993
Politics
If Trump Can Destroy Iran, Why Not Just Open the Strait of Hormuz?
Kaakyire Badu writes:
Donald Trump has threatened to wipe out Iran within hours. He said he will destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges, and even wipe out an entire civilization. But Tehran is not showing fear. Iranian officials are pushing back, and many people are asking if the U.S. is bluffing, and if Iran is ready to call that bluff. This situation raises two main questions.
First, if this is really about the Strait of Hormuz and Trump wants it open, and if he truly has the power to destroy bridges, power plants, or an entire country as he claims, why doesn’t he use that power on the Strait alone? Why threaten the whole nation instead of just taking control of that waterway so ships can pass? Does this mean Iran is so strong at the Strait of Hormuz that even American power cannot do anything there?
Second, Iran’s reaction is strange. When faced with threats to destroy power plants, bridges, and send the country back to the Stone Age, Tehran still looks calm. A country that is weaker militarily would usually try to back down. Iran is instead waiting to see what Trump will do. Is that confidence, a mistake, or are they hiding something?
Does Iran have some hidden power that can match or beat the U.S., and they are just staying quiet and playing weak while they wait? America has said Iran must not build nuclear weapons. Could it be that Iran has already built a nuclear weapon in secret—one that America does not know about—that can reach the U.S. and kill many people? Would that explain why they are not afraid?
Or could it be that other countries like Russia or China are secretly backing Iran? Are they promising to help Iran so it will not surrender? Something about this does not add up, and the whole world could be affected. Many people are now talking about World War III.
My own belief, based on the Bible, is that there will not be a real World War III. I believe God would step in before that happens. But things do look strange right now. It could also be that Bible prophecies are being fulfilled, and that God is hardening hearts like He did with Pharaoh. Pharaoh had a simple way to save Egypt and his family, but he could not obey, and disaster came on him and on Israel.
I think we should be concerned:
That may be the pattern we are seeing now.
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