When President John Dramani Mahama stood behind the podium at Jubilee House on May 7, 2025, and began his national broadcast, I listened—not as a partisan, not as a critic—but as a Ghanaian with hopes stitched tightly to the fortunes of this country. One hundred and twenty days may seem like a drop in the bucket of a four-year mandate, but in the life of a struggling nation, they can signal whether the compass is pointing toward real change or mere routine.
What I heard that night was, admittedly, impressive. The President was not vague. He wasn’t abstract. He stood with a file of fulfilled promises, citing dates, figures, and milestones that any diligent citizen could crosscheck. It wasn’t just political theatre; it was a demonstration of purpose. And for the first time in a long time, I felt the tide might just be turning.
Let’s start with the obvious: Mahama came in with a clear plan and hit the ground not just running, but sprinting. In a country long tired of bloated governments and the fanfare of ministerial appointments, he took a bold step—only 56 ministers and deputies. That’s the lowest we’ve seen in the Fourth Republic. For a system known for ballooning appointments, this was refreshing, even revolutionary.
He rolled out anti-corruption measures with the kind of urgency most presidents reserve for the eve of elections. From barring the purchase of state assets by appointees to reopening the files on controversial scandals like PDS and the National Cathedral, he showed a willingness to look backward not out of revenge, but for restitution. That matters. That inspires.
Then came the social interventions. I couldn’t help but admire the compassion behind policies like the ‘No Academic Fees’ initiative for first-year tertiary students and the sanitary pad distribution programme for schoolgirls. These weren’t just token acts of kindness; they were smart, humane decisions with ripple effects. Education, dignity, health—these are pillars of nation-building.
Perhaps most audacious was the groundwork for the 24-hour economy. It’s ambitious, maybe even idealistic, but Ghana needs bold dreams. Already, services like the passport office, DVLA, and some printing operations are running 24/7. If we can build the infrastructure to support this model and ensure it doesn’t become a white elephant, it could redefine employment and productivity in this country.
And yet, even with all this movement, I’d be dishonest if I said Ghanaians were already feeling the full weight of this change. No, we are not. The economy, though showing signs of stabilisation, is still a heavy yoke around the necks of ordinary people. Prices haven’t come down in the markets. Wages haven’t grown. And for many of us, the daily hustle still feels like survival rather than life.
So how do I score this administration’s first 120 days? I initially settled on a 7.5 out of 10. But then I reconsidered. Not because everything is perfect—it isn’t—but because the effort, direction, and seriousness deserve just a little more credit. So I raise the score to 8.2. Why? Because the President hasn’t just ticked boxes; he’s lit a fire under the bureaucracy. He’s restored a measure of belief that government can function—and more importantly, that it can care.
But if I’m being honest—as every citizen should be—then I must insist on this: it is not enough to act. The impact must be felt. Ghanaians are not impressed by ribbon-cutting ceremonies anymore. We want results in our wallets, on our streets, in our schools, at our clinics. We want to see graduates working, mothers affording medication, and businesses growing without being strangled by taxes or energy bills.
The President and his team must now shift gears from launching to deepening. These policies need legs. They need institutions strong enough to carry them when the cameras are gone and the applause has faded. They must outlive the political term and outlast the man who initiated them. That is how nations are built—not with populist schemes, but with sustainable structures that endure.
The road ahead is long and winding. But if the first 120 days have shown us anything, it’s that this administration is ready to fight—at least at the start. Now, it must show us that it’s ready to last the full course, to resist distractions, to stay focused on the Ghana we’ve all dreamed of but rarely touched.
So, Mr. President, stay the course—but go even deeper. Be bolder. Don’t just be a doer of things; be a changer of systems. Ghanaians will not remember every speech or every press release. But we will remember how we felt living under your leadership. We will remember if we were better fed, better served, and better led.
There is still hope. And hope, when nourished with truth and action, becomes a force stronger than any campaign slogan.
So let’s build, together. Not just for today, but for a Ghana that can finally stand, without excuses, among the great nations of the world.
