Julius Debrah: The Right Direction After Mahama

Ghana is at a familiar crossroads. President John Dramani Mahama, now in his constitutionally final term, is governing with an eye on legacy. But with 2028 already drawing near in the political imagination, the question every NDC strategist, grassroots organizer, and serious political observer is asking is the same: who comes next?

Several names have surfaced Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, and Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. Each carries credibility. But one figure keeps rising above the conversation not because he sought the spotlight, but because the spotlight found him: Dr Samuel Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff at the Presidency.

A Servant Who Became a Standard
At his 60th birthday thanksgiving service on April 26, 2026, Dr Debrah said something Ghana's political culture rarely witnesses. Before President Mahama, the Vice President, Cabinet Ministers, parliamentarians, and a packed congregation at PIWC Accra, he made a confession that landed harder than any campaign speech: "I was only his worker. He was not my friend."

In a rare and deeply personal reflection, Dr Debrah described his relationship with President Mahama not as friendship, but as a bond built strictly on duty, responsibility, and faithful service. In a country where proximity to power is routinely converted into patronage and personal advantage, that statement was extraordinary. It was a declaration of principle.

A Record Built on Quiet Impact
From the serene township of Suhum in Ghana's Eastern Region, Debrah's journey began not with privilege but perseverance. Educated at the University of Ghana, he rose through the ranks of public service with unrelenting drive, earning his reputation as one of the most disciplined and results-oriented administrators of his generation.

As Eastern Regional Minister, Minister for Local Government, and later Chief of Staff under President Mahama, Julius Debrah built a reputation for accessibility, discipline, and follow-through. He championed the National Sanitation Day and the National Street Naming Exercise, both aimed at giving structure and dignity to community spaces. His mantra was simple: "Development must be seen, not said."

His bold directive to annul politically influenced appointments made after the 2024 elections sent a clear message that public service must serve the interest of Ghana, not partisan interests. He also inaugurated the drafting of Ghana's new National Anti-Corruption Strategy, a framework designed to strengthen ethical governance and transparency.

The Healthcare Vision
Just days ago, Debrah stood before ministers of health and finance from across West and Central Africa at an Accra summit. He underscored the need for sustained investment in healthcare, describing it as a key driver of economic growth and improved health outcomes across West and Central Africa.

He reaffirmed Ghana's commitment to implementing the World Bank's regional health strategy, pointing to the Free Primary Health Care initiative and the substantial allocation of approximately GH¢11 billion to the NHIS in the 2026 budget as evidence of the government's commitment to sustainable health financing.

That is not bureaucratic language. It is the thinking of a man with a continental perspective exactly what Ghana's presidency demands in an era of regional instability and post-IMF economic reconstruction.

What Even the Opposition Sees
NPP's Dr Benjamin Okoe Boye, speaking on Metro TV in early May 2026, stated that aside from Bawumia, Julius Debrah has a better vision for the country than Asiedu Nketiah, declaring: "I'm in team Julius."

When a member of the opposing party volunteers unsolicited praise for a rival's potential candidate, it signals something polling cannot fully capture: institutional credibility.

The Right Direction
Drawing on polling data from Global InfoAnalytics, the five leading NDC presidential contenders include Haruna Iddrisu, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Julius Debrah, and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The field is competitive. But what separates Debrah from the others is not ambition it is a demonstrated, consistent, verifiable record of delivery without noise.

Ghana does not need another presidency of performance and theatrics. It needs a leader who has already proven, at the highest levels of the state, that governance is about results not recognition. Julius Debrah has not announced a campaign. He has not needed to. His record already makes the argument.
The question is whether Ghana is ready to listen.

Mustapha Bature Sallama.
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal investigation and Intelligence Analysis.
International Conflict Management and Peace Building.USIP
mustysallama@gmail.com
+233-555-275-880

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