Mahama’s First 100 Days: Nothing New, Says Prof. Agyemang

Professor (Dr. Dr. Dr.) Joseph Kwasi Agyemang has delivered a scathing critique of President John Dramani Mahama’s first 100 days in office, describing his economic direction as uninspiring and lacking innovation. The distinguished Professor of Accounting and Finance at the University of South Africa and the University of Eswatini said he sees no evidence of meaningful change or decisive leadership in the current administration’s approach.

“The Mahama we knew is the same today, no change. In just 100 days, instead of fulfilling promises, he’s focused on sackings, hounding appointees without court orders, refusing to pay new teachers and plunging the nation into darkness”, he remarked bluntly.

According to Prof. Agyemang, President Mahama has missed a crucial opportunity to begin implementing his flagship 24-hour economy policy to address youth unemployment. He further argued that the recent appreciation of the Ghana cedi is not the result of any initiative by the current government, but rather a continuation of policies introduced by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration.

He cited data showing that as of April 2025, the cedi had appreciated by 16% against the US dollar, contributing to a drop in inflation to 21.2%. “As alluded by the Bank of Ghana, the appreciation of the cedi is as a result of gold for oil, gold bonds, and the fiscal reforms under Ghana’s IMF programme initiatives implemented by the NPP government,” he explained.

Highlighting the achievements of the previous administration, Prof. Agyemang referenced Vice President Bawumia’s assertion that Ghana’s gold reserves rose from 8.7 tonnes, unchanged for 65 years after independence, to 30 tonnes under the NPP. “Mahama’s administration has not even added one tonne to these reserves since assuming the reins of government,” he emphasized.

He went on to criticize the current administration’s inability to articulate a single policy responsible for the cedi’s recent appreciation. “If you ask the current NDC government to single out one policy they have put in place which has resulted in the appreciation of the cedi, they cannot tell you one, which clearly indicates that President Mahama in his 100 days in office has done nothing for the economic recovery Ghanaians are experiencing now,” he stated.

Despite the stronger cedi, Prof. Agyemang expressed concern that the cost of living remains high. “Despite the significant appreciation of the Ghana cedi, prices of goods and services remain high. President Mahama must urgently address this disconnect,” he added.

Turning to education, Prof. Agyemang praised the Free Senior High School policy initiated by the NPP but criticized the Mahama administration’s lack of new ideas. “Within 100 days of President Mahama’s administration, there is no major initiative,” he said, adding that distributing sanitary pads to SHS girls was misplaced. “That is not the priority of Ghanaians at this moment since parents are not lamenting that they cannot afford to buy sanitary pads for their wards in high schools in Ghana”.

He pointed to the more pressing challenges facing schools in Ghana, including inadequate classrooms, dormitories, teachers and modern facilities like computers and internet access. According to him, the major infrastructural developments at the SHS level under the previous government are still fresh in the minds of Ghanaians. He urged the current administration to extend such development to junior high and primary schools, especially in rural areas.

On governance and institutional leadership, Prof. Agyemang was equally critical. He noted a lack of vision and transparency in President Mahama’s approach, citing an incident involving the acting CEO of the Ghana Gold Board. “Ghanaians saw the acting CEO of Ghana Gold Board, Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, distribute dollars to someone in public,” he said, questioning the lack of accountability. “As Mahama launched his own code of conduct for his ministers and other appointees, he failed to hold the CEO accountable for where he got such monies from”.

Prof. Agyemang also criticized the politicization of the judiciary, claiming that attempts to remove the Chief Justice were troubling. “This isn’t good democratic governance. In 100 days, no one accused of embezzlement has been prosecuted and ministers still haven’t declared their assets. President Mahama must let the law work, no matter the political cost,” he asserted.

He concluded with concerns about the erosion of public confidence, especially with the return of erratic power supply. “The era of dumsor is back, which is affecting a lot of businesses,” he said, warning that Mahama’s failure to consult the previous government on how it managed the crisis from 2016 to 2024 could undermine his administration.

“The President has much to do to restore his reputation. He must also ensure that his ministers and appointees serve Ghanaians with results, not insults, attacks or disrespect,” he added.