The National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Richard Ahiagbah, has indicated that the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress will be insensitive and irresponsive to the needs of Ghanaians if he is voted into power during the 2024 General polls.

He stated that the former President is incapable of dealing with the issues of Ghanaians because he suffers from the ‘Dead Goat Syndrome’, indicating the former President’s fatigue concerning political issues of the country and possible unpreparedness to deal with Ghana’s economic issues.

The NPP Communicator in this bid to make his party’s flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, a better choice compared to the former President, ridiculed the former President regarding a comment the former President made in the latter days of his administration in 2016 concerning his tolerance to the constant demands made by labor unions for a better condition of service.

“Is Mahama still suffering the dead goat syndrome? Is Mahama still a dead goat as he was in 2016? NDC must answer! Ghana needs Bawumia because he does not have dead goat syndrome, which means he will be responsive to the aspirations of Ghanaians”.
Richard Ahiagba

Mr. Richard Ahiagba further indicated that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is ever ready to see to the problems of Ghanaians. He argued that the Vice President is the new chapter of Ghana’s politics hence Ghanaians should vote for him to safeguard the country’s economic development.

Meanwhile, Madam Joyce Bawa Mogtari, former Deputy Minister of Transport and an acute NDC politician noted that the comment of the NPP Communicator lacks discernment. She argued that the NPP Communicator has failed to understand the phrase used by the former President in 2016.

“I wonder why we allow politics to influence what we think, say, and do. Out of frustration, Mr. Mahama said that he had been so heavily criticized, insulted, and berated by labor unions and about dumsor that he had developed the ‘dead goat syndrome’ and was now immune to further attacks or insults”.
Joyce Bawa Mogtari

Background

It could be recalled that close to the end of the NDC Mahama-led administration in 2016, the country was experiencing some economic hardships, and the imminent problem of the power sector that was popularly dubbed as ‘Dumsor’ also surfaced.

Accordingly, there was pressure from the labor unions for the former President to grant them a better condition of service which the President, now former President, did not comply with. As a result, the former President was constantly criticized by the various labor unions.

The pressure from the public to resolve the power sector issue too, was pressing hard on the Presidency as citizens embarked on demonstrations to show their frustration and dissatisfaction with the government.

Consequently, the former President compared the situation in which he found himself to that of a dead goat. He argued that the comment was made out of frustration as he had found himself in a position where he could do nothing.

“I am the only government in the Fourth Republic where all organized labor came together and went on strike and shut down the country. I was one of the most harassed Presidents by Organized Labor. That is what led to the dead goat syndrome… because when you kill a goat, you cannot frighten it with the knife again, really!… I don’t know why I said that, but of course, our opponents took it out of context. They said I have said that I won’t listen to anybody”.
John Dramani Mahama

The dead goat syndrome emanates from a popular Ghanaian metaphor which literary means a goat that is already dead does not fear being thrust with a knife. Often used to show one’s limitations in certain situations, the idiomatic expression is also used to show one’s acceptance of reality and frustration with one’s inability to deal with reality.