Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has accused President John Mahama’s government of running the country on optics rather than results. He made the charge on Saturday, October 3, 2026, in a speech to delegates at the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) National Executive Elections at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
The Effutu MP argued that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government inherited the economic stability it now boasts about, and he cited school disruptions, road deaths, floods and illegal mining as signs that it is failing citizens. The figures in this report come from the speech and have not been independently verified.
Optics Over Results
Hon Afenyo-Markin built his case around a term he used for the government’s style. “Opticiology is a new course in governance that President John Mahama has introduced, but optics alone does not put food on the table, provide jobs, or pay rent.”
He drew a line between leaders who believe settings and optics are all that running a country involves and leaders who look for solutions even in the most challenging times. Ghanaians, he said, have had time to compare and contrast the two parties, and over the next two years they will see and feel more of the difference between the NPP and the NDC.
A Disputed Economic Inheritance
On the economy, Hon Afenyo-Markin claimed the NPP had put the country on the path to recovery before it left office. He said the party lowered the debt burden and set a clear course for growth.
In his telling, the NDC has introduced nothing new. It inherited an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and only saw it through to the end, he said, and the low inflation, low interest rates and strong macroeconomic statistics the government cites were all inherited.
He singled out the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, which he linked to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP’s 2028 presidential candidate. The NDC adopted the programme but implemented it poorly, he said, and the result was losses in excess of $1.7 billion, as reported by the IMF.
Schools, Roads, Floods and Galamsey
The Minority Leader then turned to public services. He said school placement is in crisis, causing sleepless nights for parents, and strikes keep classrooms empty while children pay the price.
He said 2,949 Ghanaians died on the country’s roads last year, and floods this year have killed more than 30 people and driven thousands from their homes. Drainage, planning and preparation all failed, he said.
Illegal mining drew his sharpest words. He said rivers are being poisoned and cited organised labour as saying galamsey has worsened since the NDC took office in 2025.
Accountability Without Fear
Hon Afenyo-Markin said the NPP must hold the government accountable and push it “without fear of arrest or intimidation” to deliver on the promises it made. He said President Mahama has become very sensitive to criticism.
He added that the party would present a more credible and impactful vision and programmes that address the concerns and aspirations of Ghanaians. He framed the stakes in terms of survival. Drawing on Winston Churchill’s 1940 wartime address, he argued that victory for the NPP means the survival of “a Ghana where you can speak without fear.”
These are political claims made at a party conference, and the figures are highly contestable. A response from the government and the NDC would give readers the other side.
The NPP’s own record will also come under scrutiny. The IMF programme he described as inherited began in 2023, under the previous NPP government. The speech previews the case the party will make against the government as its new national executives take office.
READ ALSO: Lands Ministry to Extend Welfare Support to Creative Arts Agency
