The Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, cautioned the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) against comparing the achievement of the Akufo-Addo-led government with that of Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
During his unveiling in Kumasi on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, popularly called NAPO, asserted that no president, including Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has developed Ghana like President Akufo-Addo has done since 2017.
“Since independence from 1957 till today, we have not had any president that has helped Ghana like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. I say from 1957 till today, you can bring your Kwame Nkrumah… no president has protected Ghana and moved the country forward like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” NAPO said to a thunderous applause.
However, addressing a rally on Tuesday evening in Ashaiman, former President Mahama condemned the attempt to compare the two governments, adding that such an exercise would be misguided and insulting to Ghanaians considering the unparalleled achievements of the Nkrumah government.
“All the NPP is doing now is dabbling in propaganda. They claim they have honored all their promises. We are the best government since independence; not even Kwame Nkrumah’s government can be compared to us. Such a useless government, how can you compare yourself with Nkrumah’s government? Nkrumah was a visionary. Till date, let’s shut down the Akosombo Dam and see if we’ll have power supply in this country. Meanwhile, this dam was commissioned in 1965, and till now, it is the bulwark of our power supply in this country. Today, let us close the Tema Motorway and see if people can travel around in Ghana. Tema Harbour was built by Nkrumah. If we didn’t have the harbour, could we have been able to import things into Ghana? Kotoka Airport was built by Nkrumah.”
Mr. Mahama urged the NPP not to stretch the comparison as far back as Nkrumah’s government, daring them to compare their record with that of his [Mahama’s] government.
“You dare not compare yourself to Nkrumah, don’t try! If the NPP wants to do a comparison, they should not do that with Nkrumah. Mahama is just here, I am around. Don’t do your comparison with Rawlings, Kufuor, or Mills. I did four years in government; you’ve also done four years. They should present their track record, and we’ll also present ours so that Ghanaians can compare. That comparison, the NPP is not courageous enough to do.”
