“Afenyo, when we all leave politics, I and Nitiwul will go to the same place in the north; you will go to Winneba; don’t worry we are all brothers…” – President John Dramani Mahama at SONA
When the cavalcade (NOT: motorcade) led the President to the gallery at Parliament for the State of the Nation Address on 27th February 2026, he was not only fulfilling a mandatory constitutional obligation, he was also accounting for his stewardship and selling Ghana to the outside world.
Article 67 of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992, states: “The President shall, at the beginning of each session of Parliament and before a dissolution of Parliament, deliver to Parliament a message on the state of the nation”. It could be a hilarious occasion or a gloomy one, depending on the “state”.
“The Parliament was agog with drumming, cultural performance, parade and the atmosphere was charged for a face-off. Majority of NDC Parliamentarians wore white; Minority NPP Parliamentarians wore black with sashes on which were inscribed: “Cocoa Akuafo Yeye Nmobo Dodo” (translated as Cocoa farmers are exceedingly pitiable).
Dressed in beautiful fugu with a cap to match, the President displayed Ghanaian culture, just like Speaker Bagbin did with his attire. It was tradition; it was culture, Ghanaian culture on display.
The Address touched almost all the facets of the society, the Health, Agriculture, Social (employment) road sectors getting a boost,
Recalling the sad episode of 29-year-old engineer, Charles Henry Amissah, victim of a hit-and-run vehicle, refused attention by various hospitals (without beds) he declared: “You don’t need to have a comfortable bed to save a patient. No patient must be turned away from any health facility they report to”.
The Police, Ridge, La General Hospitals as well as the Afari, Sewua, the Maternity and Children’s Hospitals in Kumasi were to be adequately funded in order to “build a stronger, more resilient and more self-reliant health system for all Ghanaians”. The “Mahama Cares” is there to give a boost.
The creation of 1 million jobs contradicted the 300 jobs reported by the Statistical Service, except that perhaps there were unrecorded job placements. Which sectors, which departments– the information was scanty.
Agriculture was captured with cocoa price taking centre-stage. As sons of parents with cocoa farms at Esienkyem and Awaduwa, we should ordinarily be pleased to enjoy the GHȻ6,000 NDC had promised to pay farmers for a bag of cocoa.
How should we appreciate a lecture in Economics justifying the reduction from GHȻ3,600 to GHȻ2,587? Would we care if Cote d’lvoire pays her farmers GHȻ1,216 per bag – because of the fall in world market price? “Talk some for us”; the cocoa farmers from Sefwi, our grandfather’s town would yell as they come out of Agya Ewiase’s V.I.P. buses.
Why should the CEO of Cocobod be paid a whopping GHȻ1 billion every month with luscious perks and we leave him to purchase 150 vehicles including Land cruisers and pickups for operational duties? Robin Hood was stealing from the rich to cater for the poor; in sherwood Forest; here the reverse is the case.
“Cocoa farmers are suffering, nurses are suffering, students are suffering,…(?) are suffering… (?) are suffering….(?) Are suffering (Bawumia said this in 2016) and we would yell:..” are suffering”).
Afenyo-Markin would say of SONA 2026 “Mr. Speaker, the Bawumia that they attacked is the brainchild of this policy (Gold for Reserve) and I would urge the government to give to Bawumia what belongs to Bawumia”. Good. So is Afenyo living in a different Ghana, or we are rather living in a different Ghana?
So, what does Afenyo say about the exchange rate? Bawumia had “taught” us when the fundamentals are weak, the exchange rate will expose you? So will the present exchange rate ($1=GH¢10) show “strong” fundamentals? Should we not appreciate Mahama Ayariga’s comparison of “day and night”: “The Ghana we inherited was as dark as the dark dresses that they (NPP) are wearing … and the Ghana you speak of today is clearly as white as the white dresses that we (NDC) are wearing…”
Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo says in the Daily Graphic of February 26, 2026: “Populist cosmeticism” “…But for the honeymoon being enjoyed by the government as a result of the reduction in commodity prices, especially imports, due to the stability to the dollar, the farmers could have been mobilized for mass demonstrations across the cocoa producing regions and Accra”. Why should the NDC not “enjoy” an honeymoon? Why shouldn’t they enjoy the effect of reduction in commodity prices? Why should they not savour the stability of the dollar? Quarrelling over the use of galamsey gold to shore up the Cedis? Stop galamsey, yes. But use the money therefrom wisely.
Cocoa farmers live among us: some may be crass illiterates, but not all. Some may not be lettered, but not all. Some may not be discerning, but not all, some may be bought over by politicians, but not all. Some can smell a good government from a bad one.
Who does not enjoy “jama”? You sing: “Eno na eda ho no yanka se obete so”. President John Mahama is a Vandal (Commonwealth Hall University of Ghana) and he is familiar with the Vandal version of that song (not for public consumption). Yee, Aboagyewaa,…
Disputing the creation of 1 million jobs? What does the Statistical Service say? 300? Mahama Ayariga defends President Mahama’s position and quotes the same Statistical Service as the source.
Afenyo is so fixated on criticising President Mahama and his government and does not see why “Government is so fixated on Goldbod using gold reserves to stabilise the cedi”.
Afenyo does not get fixated on the charge against him with respect to the allegation he made against the Ministry of Interior for irregularies in the recruitment of Police, Prisons, Immigration and Fire Service. Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga says: “… we want an open public enquiry by the Privileges Committee to establish if indeed a Minister or a senior NDC person has any interest in the company (Tribal Net) that is providing the service. “So, NPP’s recruitments were sacrosanct, and bereft of scandals…!
But the analyses by other governance personnel is not all gloomy: Prof-Agyemang-Duah is happy about the progress in Mahama’s administration for the one year. He prays for “a change of the Guggisberg economy” to get Ghana” self-reliant”
“Changing the Guggisberg economy” was often harped by the Akufo Addo administration, but nothing was seen. And we judged Kutu Acheampong as a mere buga-buga man – only to find him successful at “Operation Feed Yourself”. Who will recant? All those who said “Crucify him…”
You think we shall continue to accept the bait of propagandists? A friend intimates: “We helped Akufo-Addo to achieve his life-long ambition; but he did not help some of us to achieve ours”. Talk “reshuffle” and he will say you are envious of the people in his government, so one person remains as Minister, CEO, Board Chairman… for 8 years. 88 Members of Parliament will demand: ‘‘Change Ofori Atta as Finance Minister… The calls fall on deaf ears, “Another (once) ardent NPP supporter will say: “Ofori Atta’s Data Bank would take their share of the numerous loans, and Ofori Atta would throw “Kenkey parties” Shame, shame, shame and he refuses to come back home:
“The NPP had its chance to do so many things including reforming many of the existing systems; we abused the chance. Now they (NDC) have come to power, and they are making good use of it…. The best NPP can do is to keep quiet and watch”.
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