Thank You, NPP: The Making Of Mahama An Effective Anti-Corruption Fighter

If Mahama has been extremely rigorous and has put strong measures in place to combat corruption in his new administration, that might come from the painful experience and lessons he learned after the NPP accused him of being incompetent and corrupt. The NDC lost the 2016 election as a result of those accusations. Ghanaians had no idea that the NPP’s attack on Mahama was one of their deceptive tactics to gain power to embezzle, loot the nation, and take control over the nation’s rich resources.

Since corruption is a significant issue in both developed and developing countries worldwide, many have taken various steps to control or lessen it. Among African leaders, Mahama received international recognition as an effective leader for sacking Victoria Hammah, Ghana's deputy minister of communications, for stating that she would quit politics if she could make $1 million. Her statement made headlines both in and outside Ghana. She asserts that "you can control people if you have money."

Nevertheless, despite all his efforts, engaging in developments and leaving many unfinished, Mahama was accused of corruption and incompetence, which made it possible for the NPP to take power in 2016. With anti-Mahama shouts blaring from NPP’s raised platforms amid intense animosity and tribalism, Ghanaians listened to the composed music of Bawumia’s wife, "When you see Mahama, you see incompetence." Mahama was the target of innumerable accusations together with NDC politicians.

However, after eight years in power, Ghanaians became fully aware of the differences between the NDC and the NPP in terms of their respective levels of competency and which party is the most corrupt. To be honest, the NPP came to power through deceit, with the goals of embezzling, looting, and taking control over the nation’s rich resources and institutions, amid unfulfilled promises to protect the public coffers, turn Ghana into Africa's Dubai, and pursue aggressive industrialization and agriculture.

After the first four years of the NPP administration, corruption not only began to destroy Ghana, or paid projects were never executed, but it also had an effect on the country's economy, making Ghanaians unhappy. However, they believed that four years in office was insufficient to see a government succeed, so they requested "four more years for Nana." Ghanaians understood the NPP's aims by the conclusion of the eight years, when corruption with impunity had escalated by more than 300%.

Each and every NPP politician implicated in corruption was exonerated with no repercussions. Despite having stolen more than $1 million to keep in her home, Cecilia Dapaah was shielded by the NPP government. For the NPP government to become a lucrative business, Akufo-Addo promoted corruption and the looting of state property. When Ghanaians learned the "Agyapadie"-based governance secret, they realized just how nefarious and terrible the NPP regime is.

With Ken Ofori-Atta, a relative of the president, serving as finance minister, the NPP targeted non-NPP politicians' businesses to sabotage them and embezzled all funds from foreign missions, such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and COVID-19. By the time they left office, the NPP government had bankrupted numerous state institutions, including the ECG and COCOBOD. The most substantial fraud was $58 million for the cathedral without a foundation and GHC 763 in national debt.

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The NPP believes they are the smartest, but they are not. I'm not sure what was going through their minds after causing such widespread corruption and state theft. The first unofficial task Mahama took on when he took office was to organize "ORAL, a team, Operation Recover All Loot." This initiative quickly gained traction because the people who voted the NPP out of power believed they had been duped; therefore, Mahama must retrieve all of the stolen money and imprison those responsible.

However, the NPP politicians who called Mahama incompetent and corrupt are now unable to withstand the pressure of Mahama's anti-corruption campaign. I think the NPP was crucial in forcing President John Mahama to enact stronger and more successful anti-corruption policies. Most of them have now turned against the president, accusing him of witch hunts, persecution, and retaliation in his fight against corruption responsible for the collapse of the nation’s economy, businesses, and investments.

Had Mahama won the 2016 election, Ghanaians would not have been aware of the NPP's dishonest mindset. The man has been smart enough to come out with effective measures against corruption to be the NPP’s biggest nightmare. Rather than undermining his efforts, the NPP needs to either provide him with the assistance he requires or let him handle the prosecution of the guilty.

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