Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah Demands Accountability from President Mahama’s Administration

Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, has asserted that there is no valid reason for President John Dramani Mahama and his administration to fail in fulfilling their promises to the Ghanaian people.

Speaking on Asaase Radio’s The Forum on Saturday, January 11, Awuah emphasized that political leaders are well-informed about the country’s challenges before taking office and crafting campaign pledges.

“It cannot be that it is when you come to government that you discover the problems,” Awuah said, challenging the notion that the administration was unaware of the issues at hand. He pointed out that the manifesto of any political party is based on a thorough understanding of the country’s situation. “To begin with, what informed your manifesto? And what is even informing your choices of ministers? What is your plan?” he asked, underlining that the leaders should have the necessary information to act upon from the outset.

Awuah highlighted that Ghana’s problems, including fiscal issues, energy sector challenges, and the country’s debt situation, are well-documented and accessible to anyone in a leadership position. He pointed to publicly available resources, such as the national budget and reports on the energy sector, which provide clear insights into the country’s financial health. “It is not difficult to know the problems of this country,” Awuah insisted, noting that these issues are readily available for scrutiny by both the government and the public.

With Ghana currently under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, Awuah stressed that the country’s debt situation is already in the public domain. “At a time when we have subscribed to an IMF programme, all these debts are a matter of public knowledge,” he said, urging the administration to be realistic in its approach to addressing these challenges. Awuah further pointed out that members of parliament have the constitutional tools to access any information they need to make informed decisions.

The MP also expressed frustration with political opponents who, in his view, made unrealistic promises to the public during election campaigns. “We kept telling you that the information we were putting out there were not true,” he said, accusing the opposition of exploiting public dissatisfaction for political gain. He noted that the promises made were designed to capitalise on the public’s frustration with long-standing governance, yet they were not grounded in the reality of the country’s financial situation.

Despite these concerns, Awuah called on the current government to honour its pledges, even in the face of the country’s debt issues. He cited the previous administration’s ability to fulfil key obligations despite similar financial constraints, such as paying teacher and nursing trainee allowances. “We kept the light on notwithstanding the debt; we paid teacher trainee allowances, notwithstanding the debt; we paid nursing training allowances, notwithstanding the debt, and so we expect them to do the same,” he concluded, demanding that the current government show similar commitment to delivering on its promises.

Awuah’s comments come as part of ongoing public discourse about the government’s ability to meet its obligations and fulfil the promises made during the election campaign. As the country faces pressing fiscal challenges, the call for accountability and transparency remains a central issue in Ghana’s political landscape.