John Mahama’s quest for another term: Does he deserve it?

As a country, we have had five different presidents since the advent of the Fourth Republic which started with the 1992 elections. Of the five presidents, three have had two completed terms of four years totalling eight years each. Late President John Evans Atta Mills had his first tenure truncated by nature. Former President John Dramani Mahama took over the mantle of leadership and completed the remaining few months of the late President, before winning the 2012 general election to assume his own mandate. However, he was denied a second term by the electorates in 2016. The former president and his party the National Democratic Congress (NDC) vehemently argued their case for a second term in order to complete his two terms, but Ghanaians were adamant and refused to compromise. To them, the NDC as a party has done what they could do, and there was the need for a change.

Former president Mahama is contesting again in the upcoming 2024 elections hence, the need to analyse his first term to ascertain whether he deserve another term or not.

This article analysis former president Mahama’s first term based on secondary quantitative data gathered from some relevant state institutions. The article starts with the hurdles and the challenges he faced and how he addressed them, it then analysed his achievements based on the data, if there was any.

Challenges Mahama faced:
1. Election Petition:
The first major challenge that confronted John Mahama during his presidency was the election petition challenging his victory. The then opposition New Patriotic Party, did not believe John Mahama won the 2012 election, they consequently filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging the results. The

petition dragged on for about eight months before the court affirmed that he won the election as declared by the Electoral Commission. Undoubtedly this affected his presidency, the uncertainty of not knowing what the verdict would be had some effects on the government.

2. Energy Crises:
Immediately after the election petition, former president Mahama was hit with another major challenge. Between 2013 and 2015, there were massive energy crises that affected businesses, productivity and growth. The generational reoccurrences of the energy crises was attributed to decades of lack of investment in the energy sector.

The former president, procurement two major emergency power plants i.e. the Karpowership 450MW and the AMERI plant 250MW to address the energy crises.

Undoubtedly, businesses were hit by the energy crises, jobs and livelihoods were lost, but the generational problem was eventually solved by the former president by the end 0f December 2015.

Mahama’s achievements:
Quantitative data gathered from the ministry of health website, Ghana educational service, and other relevant sources revealed the following as projects undertaken between 2012 and 2016.

The construction of of Terminal (T3) of Kotoka International Airport, 420- bed Accra Regional Hospital, 617-bed Unit University of Ghana Medical Hospital, Bank of Ghana Medical Hospital, Circle Interchange, Tamale Airport, Second phase of the Tamale Teaching Hospital Expansion Project, Kumasi Airport expansion, Ho Airport, Kejetia Market project between 2012 and 2016.

Moreover, between 2012 and 2016, Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, 160-bed Upper West Regional Hospital and the 250-bed Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua-Kumasi, 500-bed Afari Military Hospital Project in Kumasi, 104-bed Police Hospital Project and 130-bed Maritime Hospital in Tema were constructed. The Accra Digital Centre (ADC), Kumawu Hospital, Asawase, Tafo, Krofuom and Kotokoraba markets were also constructed between 2012 and 2016.

The Ghana Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank), the Bukom Sports Complex, Saglemi Housing Project, expansion the Takoradi Habour and 124 E-Blocks were constructed in John Mahama’s first term.

John Mahama also completed the Teshie desalination plant, the Kpong water expansion project, the ATMA project to expand access to urban water supply in Accra, the Wa water supply project and the 3Ks project, covering Kumawu, Konongo and Kwahu.

In the road sector, some of the major roads constructed in the period are, Achimota-Ofankor, Awoshie-Pokuase, Sofoline, Tetteh Quarshie-Adenta, the Kasoa overhead bridge, the Airport Hills/Burma Camp network of roads, the 37-El Wak-Trade Fair road and the continuation the Eastern corridor roads.

Economy:
By December 2016, the data indicates that, 1 United States Dollar (USD) was equal to GHC 4.1 (he inherited 1 to 2) and 1 Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP) was equal GHC 5.90 (he inherited 1 to 3.2) . The country’s Debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 54 percent, the national debt stock had reached GHC 122.6 billion.

The year-on-year inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 15.4 percent in December 2016, down by 0.1 percentage point from the 15.5 percent recorded in November 2016.

Corruption:
Despite the allegations of corruption, in 2016, the Transparency International’s released corruption perception index (CPI) and the NDC’s worse performance of 43 was better than the NPP’s best performance of 41 in 2023. The data indicate that, John Mahama prosecuted his own appointees which is rare in Ghanaian politics. He prosecuted his appointee, the former Executive Director of the National Service Alhaji Alhassan Imoro in 2015 for stealing GHC100 million.

He also prosecuted his own party member and appointee Mr. Abuga Pele for corruption and was jailed for 6 years. Mr. Abuga Pele is the former NDC Member of Parliament for Chiana-Paga constituency, and the head of the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) and was appointed by John Mahama.

Facts:
There were allegations of corruption and economic challenges under his regime, however. However, in four years of his presidency, he contributed to the infrastructural development of this country than any other president since 1992. He has invested in the country’s energy, water, health, education, technological, roads and transport, economy, housing, agriculture sector than any other president since 1992.

Verdict:
Based on the facts derived from the relevant data on former president Mahama’s first tenure, his contribution in infrastructure in all sectors is the highest since 1992, with numerous physical infrastructural projects in the country in four years, John Dramani Mahama deserves a second term.