Deputy Spokesperson for the John Mahama 2024 Campaign, Beatrice Annan has expressed concern that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) leadership has become so financially comfortable that they are disconnected from the everyday struggles of Ghanaians, who are experiencing hardship.
She emphasized that Ghana is facing a severe economic crisis, characterized by challenges such as high electricity and fuel costs, and a significant unemployment rate. However, she suggested that the NPP government appears to be oblivious to these issues, possibly due to the personal wealth and comfort of its leadership, which may have disconnected them from the realities faced by ordinary citizens.
She stressed that both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have had the opportunity to govern Ghana in the past, and citizens can compare their performances. She asserted that the upcoming 2024 elections should not be about party affiliations, but rather about the policies and initiatives each party has proposed to ensure the country’s success.
Beatrice Annan recalled the 2016 elections, when President Akufo-Addo participated in the ‘Kalypo challenge,’ which involved taking pictures with a popular fruit drink. She contrasted this with the current campaign, where Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP’s flagbearer, was seen drinking coconut water. However, Beatrice Annan noted that Ghanaians could not replicate the challenge because coconut is now too expensive.
“In NPP’s 2016 campaign, President Akufo-Addo famously wore one shoe for the entile season and participated in the Kalypo challenge, drinking the fruit drink and engaging with voters. In contrast, Dr. Bawumia was recently spotted buying coconut, which costs Ghc5. However, the high cost of coconuts made it difficult for NPP members to replicate the coconut challenge, as purchasing just four coconuts would cost Ghc20. As a result, Dr. Bawumia was the only one able to participate in his own challenge,” she said.
She stressed that journalists, who should be holding leaders accountable and speaking truth to power, are instead remaining silent due to fear and threats to their personal safety. This silence, she implied, allows leaders to act with impunity, unchecked by the scrutiny and criticism that a free press should provide.