Ghana: Bawumia punished by voters for Akufo‑Addo’s sins

20-12-2024

 Ghana: Bawumia punished by voters for Akufo‑Addo’s sins

Analysts say the ruling NPP’s defeat in Ghana elections reflects a damning verdict on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s governance, marked by economic mismanagement, corruption allegations and broken promises.

Former president and opposition leader John Dramani Mahama’s resounding victory in Ghana‘s presidential election has left the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) reeling.

Analysts describe the result – the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate won with 56.6% of the vote, against Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia’s 41.6% – as a referendum on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s eight years in office, marred by economic mismanagement, corruption allegations and unfulfilled promises.

The NPP has suffered significant losses in parliament as well. The party’s tally fell below 100 seats, a sharp contrast to its 137 seat majority in 2020. The NDC , buoyed by the electoral wave, captured over 180 parliamentary seats , including gains in the NPP’s Ashanti region stronghold.

Economic mismanagement and public outrage

The Akufo-Addo administration faced a barrage of economic challenges that eroded public confidence. The public debt ballooned under his leadership, forcing the government to negotiate a $3bn IMF bailout and restructure both domestic and external debt . The domestic debt restructuring programme including a 37% haircut on $13bn in bonds affected millions of Ghanains, from pensiners to middle class investors.

“The government mishandling of the economy has been catastrophic” said Lloyd Amoah, a political analyst at the university of Ghana. “The inflation rate peaked at 54,1% in 2022, the cedi depreciated by 18% in 2024, and the cost of living skyrocketed. These factors, combined with the governments’s lack of empathy for ordinary citizens, sealed NPP”s fate.”

Unemployment figures further amplified frustrations, rising from 8,4% in 2016 to 14,7% in 2023 with over 1.3 million youth jobless. This grim reality, compounded by scandals such as $58m National Cathedral controversy, fuelled widespread disillusionment.

The Akufo Addo administration’s response to corruption allegations drew heavy criticism. Scandals involving the award of dubious conyracts such as the Power Distribution Services deal costing $190m – tarnished the NPP’s image. Illegal mining , or galamsey, further alienated rural voters, with accusations of complicity by NPP officials. 

“The NPP leadership prioritized personal wealth over national interest,” said Arthur Kobina Kennedy, a senior NPP member in a Faceboook post from his US base. “ This was the culmination of arrogance, incompetence and governance failures. We got our comeuppance for ignoring the electorate’s crisis,”

President Akufo Addo’s refusal to heed calls from 90 NPP lawmakers in 2023 to dismiss Finance Minister Ke Ofori Atta also played a role. The eventual reshuffle in 2024 moving Ofori Atta to a different advisory role – was seen as too little and too late.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, a spokesperson for Bawumia’s campaign acknowledged the challenges: “The people of Ghana sent us a strong message. Disappointment in governance and the economy cost us this election”.

The 2024 election revealed significant regional shifts. The NDC captured 13 out of 16 regions, including traditionally NPP leaning areas like the Central and Greater Accra regions. The Ashanti Region, the NPP’s stronghold, swa the NCD claim seven parliamentary seats while others are in contention.

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GNBCC | News