Former President John Mahama, the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has reflected on his presidency, suggesting that while honesty is a commendable virtue, his commitment to transparency may have posed challenges during his tenure.
While emphasising the significance of elected officials being candid with the electorates to foster trust and credibility, Mahama expressed concerns about the current government’s transparency, especially regarding recent power challenges, suggesting that there is a deliberate attempt to withhold information from the public.
“I was brought up to tell the truth at all times, so when I was President, if things were not going well, I told the people of Ghana and what we were trying to do about it. I think my honesty was one of the major problems I had because I didn’t think that I should fool my people,” he stated.
Former President Mahama reiterated his stance, highlighting differences in intentions with the current administration.
He maintained his assertion that the present government is not fully disclosing crucial information, pointing to recent power sector developments as evidence.
“We know that they are shedding the load, they have a problem with generation. Some generation assets are down, they have a problem with paying for gas. Every day they are shedding between 280 and 480 megawatts of power but they will not give us a timetable because that is what Ghanaians know as dumsor,” he noted.
“We must not only hold to account the government that has gone out. We must also hold to account our own people who go wrong while we are in government,” he added.
The former president made the comment during his ongoing Building Ghana Tour in the Upper West Region.