The vicious lies that gave Akufo-Addo power: Part 1

Trust and truthfulness are core values we impart to children from a young age. Yet as some public figures enter the political arena, a concerning transformation occurs.

This article examines the normalization of lies in Ghana’s politics by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government, the spread of disinformation by political leaders in the NPP, and why upholding honesty and facts is imperative for national development.

There is a general saying that “he who want your downfall, knows how to get you”. After losing the 2008 and 2012 general elections without conceding. Then-candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the NPP became desperate, they realized that the 2016 general elections were his final shot at the presidency, and their only option was to resort to malicious and fabricated lies.

Their lies were in two taxonomies, unrealistic promises, and fabricated lies about President John Dramani Mahama.

I am focusing on the latter in this article in order to remind Ghanaians about how dishonest the NPP are especially as their desperation grow going into the 2024 general elections. Even in government, they continue to peddle falsehoods about H.E. John Mahama. Below are some of the malicious and fabricated lies.

Mahama is running a family and friends government:

During John Mahama’s presidency, only one member of his family Joyce Bawa Mogtari was appointed in his government as a deputy minister for Transport. Yet the NPP, unethically, and shamelessly accused the president of running a family and friends’ government. Nana Akufo-Addo jumped on this and promised Ghanaians that “I will not run a family and friends’ government”. Today, he has established himself as the most nepotistic president in the history of Ghana.

Mahama has a hotel in Dubai:

The NPP were shameless in their lies, they accused the former president of owning hotels in Dubai. They embarked on this treacherous and perfidious path without thinking about their integrity and reputation. Recently, Captain Smart has admitted that this allegation was intentionally fabricated and sent to some selected NPP journalists (himself included) to “push” it, just to generate hatred and disaffection for H.E. John Mahama. Just for vote's sake. Disgusting politics.

Mahama and his wife own DKM, Jasper Motors, and God is Love microfinance:

In wicked and vile propaganda, the NPP protagonists without shame claimed, that H.E. John Dramani Mahama and his wife, Mrs. Lordina Mahama were the owners of these microfinance companies. They fed the victims of these Ponzi schemes with falsehood and created hatred for the then-president and his wife for political expediency. Candidate Akufo-Addo accused H.E. Mahama of conspiring to rob the victims of their legitimate entitlements.

Just because, the then first lady hailed from the then Brong Ahafo region where these scandals occurred, the NPP disingenuously created a nexus and falsely accused the first couple of being the owners of these microfinance companies. Pathetic.

Guinea Fowls flew to Burkina:

The most bizarre and appalling of all these vicious lies was the assertion that guinea fowls reared under the Savanah Acceleration Development Authority SADA have flown to Burkina Faso. How on earth could any political party stoop this low just for political gains? Guinea fowls are not migrating birds and cannot fly beyond one kilometer, how then could they fly from Sumbrungu near Bolgatanga to Burkina Faso which is 208 kilometers?

Inflated Contracts:

When the NPP realized that, the unprecedented infrastructural projects undertaken by H.E. John Mahama were going to enhance the NDC’s chances going into the 2016 elections, they resorted to their stock in trade i.e. telling lies. They accused President Mahama of over-borrowing and inflating contract prices.

This was the only way to counter the massive projects springing up across the country. After 8 years in power, the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led administration has failed to provide a scintilla of evidence to back their claims of inflated contracts against former president Mahama.

Mahama is the 4th richest person in Ghana:

Even in power, the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led administration, did not desist from peddling these malicious and fabricated lies. In 2023, they falsely claimed that H.E. John Mahama is the 4th richest person in Ghana and is worth US$900 million. How these people come up with these lies is appalling, disgusting, and nauseating. They deliberately made up these lies in order to generate public disaffection against the former president and divert attention from their abysmal performance.

The directions being towed by the NPP and the current government is very dangerous to our democracy.

Research shows that normalization of political lies breeds public cynicism and erodes democratic participation. When leaders consistently distort the truth, people lose faith in institutions and struggle to make informed choices. Ultimately, deception in politics corrodes the social fabric and threatens citizens’ ability to self-govern based on reality.

Ghana’s politics has become saturated with deception, thanks to the NPP. This is driven by their desperation for power, partisanship, or self-interest, NPP politicians frequently propagate lies and falsehoods to manipulate Ghanaians. It is important to not trust the NPP as we go into the 2024 general elections because their lies and deception know no bounds.