Salam Mustapha, National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged Ghanaian youth to reject former President John Dramani Mahama in the upcoming elections. He describes him as a “lazy president” with a record of poor performance.
In a media briefing on Friday, September 13, 2024, Mustapha criticized Mahama’s tenure, highlighting power outages and financial mismanagement.
He accused Mahama of exacerbating the “dumsor” crisis—frequent and prolonged power outages—that plagued Ghana during his presidency.
“Under Mahama, we faced four years of dumsor. His government signed excessive take-or-pay power purchasing agreements, costing Ghana up to $1 billion annually for unused power,” Mustapha said. He noted that the current Akufo-Addo administration has had to renegotiate these agreements to mitigate the financial burden.
Mustapha expressed disbelief that Mahama still seeks the presidency, questioning what unresolved issue might be driving his ambition. “What exactly is Mahama still looking for at the Jubilee House? If he left something behind, he should let us know so we can retrieve it for him,” Mustapha remarked.
He further criticized Mahama for handling the economy, pointing out that despite inheriting an oil-rich economy, Ghana faced significant economic challenges during his tenure, including a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and high unemployment rates.
Mustapha also highlighted Mahama’s perceived lack of dedication, citing reports that Mahama’s cabinet met infrequently and that he was often absent from his duties.
In contrast, he praised current President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for their commitment and work ethic.
“President Akufo-Addo works late into the night and does not drink alcohol, unlike Mahama. Vice President Bawumia is also dedicated and brings innovative solutions, such as the DRIP initiative for road construction,” Mustapha said.
He emphasized that the choice between the current leadership and Mahama should be apparent based on their track records and work ethic.
Mustapha stressed the importance of evaluating the candidates’ achievements and character as the election approaches. “We have two distinct choices: the dynamic and effective leadership of Vice President Bawumia versus the failed promises of John Mahama.
The decision should be based on who is better suited to lead Ghana forward,” he concluded.
Click on the link below to read the full address of Salam Mustapha
