In the bustling theatre of Ghanaian politics, one party has emerged not as a factory of policy but as a warehouse of events. Welcome to The Event Center—otherwise known as John Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC).
If you’re looking for governance wrapped in colourful banners, garnished with applause, and served on shiny stages with no follow-up action, then you’re in the right place.
Traditionally, political events of this nature are held at the twilight of a government’s term—often to showcase tangible achievements, reflect on milestones, and justify a bid for re-election.
Presidents use such forums to parade roads built, factories inaugurated, policies executed, and lives improved.
But in a bizarre twist, John Mahama’s NDC appears to have reversed the script.
They’ve opened their campaign with a full season of events—not to show what they’ve done, but to tell Ghanaians what they wish to do, with no action to match.
Which begs the question: Why is a former president, who has already governed before, flooding the political space with event after event at the very start of his campaign—without any track record of implementation attached to these new ideas?
Is it a case of forgetting the lessons of the past, or simply banking on theatrics to mask the absence of substance?
Let’s take a satirical safari through the jungle of recent Mahama-sponsored spectacles:
The National Economic Forum
Held with grandeur and pomp, economists and dignitaries were assembled like chess pieces on a board.
Papers were read, speeches were clapped at, and cameras flashed.
But beyond the flood of hashtags, what did it produce? Nothing tangible—just the echo of economic clichés bouncing off the conference hall walls.
The National Education Forum
Ah, yes. A gathering to re-imagine education, while most of the ideas mirrored existing policies.
From curriculum reforms to teacher motivation, everything discussed had already featured in past governments’ playbooks.
But Mahama’s team packaged it afresh—like reheated jollof in a new bowl.
Looks nice, still the same old taste.
Feed Ghana
A familiar refrain? Of course. Only this time, it’s wearing new clothes.
The Planting for Food and Jobs initiative under the current government, which revolutionised Ghana’s food systems, suddenly vanished from Mahama’s speeches.
Instead, “Feed Ghana” appeared, like a reboot of a movie whose first part you just finished watching.
MahamaCare
Say what you want, this one sounds like a Netflix series.
The former president rebranded long-standing health initiatives like NHIS expansion, community clinics, and primary health access under his new healthcare promise—MahamaCare.
And yet, when you peel back the shiny wrapping, it’s the same policy foundation laid years ago. Only now, it has a fancier name.
The 24-Hour Economy
Probably the most marketed event of them all.
But when Ghanaians asked, “How?” there was only silence—followed by another event.
Never mind that the One District One Factory initiative already operated with extended hours and many sectors like healthcare, transport, and manufacturing were already running round-the-clock.
Mahama’s 24-Hour Economy slogan is more about branding than building.
No Fees Stress
Another grand announcement with unclear roots and invisible branches.
Is it free SHS 2.0? Is it an overhaul of student financing?
Is it a raffle? No one knows, because no policy document, budgetary roadmap, or implementation structure followed the event.
The reset Ghana tour
A travelling exhibition of promises. From town to town, Mahama’s team unloads trucks of optimism.
But ask for a tangible pilot project, and you’re handed another invitation—to yet another event.
Ghanaians are now grappling with a peculiar kind of fatigue—not the economic stress or political tension we’ve become accustomed to, but Event Fatigue.
It’s the numbness that sets in after attending too many launch ceremonies without seeing cranes on construction sites.
It’s the ache in your ears from speeches that speak a lot but say very little.
Let’s not forget that most of these so-called “new” ideas are archived concepts in Ghana’s governance library.
The Ghana Beyond Aid vision and the 24-Hour Economy are cousins at best—both anchored in self-reliance and productivity. The Feed Ghana idea has its roots in already-existing agricultural support systems.
Even MahamaCare rides on the infrastructure of NHIS and CHPS compounds.
John Mahama may be planning a comeback, but Ghanaians are not interested in watching another season of “Talk Now, Act Never.”
This is not 2012. The electorate is wiser. They want bulldozers, not billboards.
They want pipelines, not punchlines. They want tangible change, not townhall talks.
Until then, Mahama’s NDC remains less of a political party and more of a PR firm—organising events and branding borrowed ideas.
Welcome to The Event Center.
Please take a seat—next speech starts in five minutes.
By Solomon Mensah
The writer is a PhD Public Policy and Social Change Student At UPSA
