Being better than the last NPP gov't should never be the standard — Sulemana Braimah to Mahama
Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has urged the Mahama administration not to measure its performance against that of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
According to him, Ghanaians deserve a much higher standard of governance.
His comments follow the presentation of the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson on Thursday, July 23, which highlighted improvements in key macroeconomic indicators and attracted praise from sections of the public.
In a social media post on Friday, Mr. Braimah acknowledged that the previous administration left behind significant governance challenges but argued that outperforming it should not be considered an achievement in itself.
"Being better than the last NPP government cannot and should never be the standard. This is because being better than failure is not success and mere minor improvements should not be mistaken for excellence," he wrote.
The MFWA Executive Director said Ghana needs governance anchored on transparency, accountability, competence and respect for the rule of law rather than comparisons with past governments.
He argued that the government's Reset Agenda should be assessed based on tangible improvements in the lives of citizens instead of political comparisons or favourable economic indicators alone.
The MFWA boss further called for stronger protection of public resources, including decisive action against illegal mining, and urged the government to prioritise long-term national development over short-term political gains.
He stressed that democratic governance requires continuous public scrutiny and accountability and noted that constructive criticism should be welcomed rather than resisted.
"If President Mahama and his administration are genuinely committed to resetting Ghana, then constructive scrutiny, public oversight, and principled criticism should be welcomed as tools that help improve governance rather than obstacles to it," he stated.