Richard Ahiagbah lists the ‘sins’ of Mahama

The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has criticised the ruling NDC government over what he describes as the ‘sins’ of the John Mahama administration during its first six months in office.

In a 20-point statement, Ahiagbah accused the government of economic mismanagement, policy inconsistency, poor public service delivery, and political intimidation, among other concerns.

He made these assertions in a lengthy post on his official X account on June 10, 2025.

A central point of his criticism was the introduction of the controversial ‘D-levy,’ which he labelled “insensitive, incompetent, and lazy.”

He argued that the levy imposes a blanket financial burden on all Ghanaians, including the most vulnerable, unlike the previously abolished E-levy, which had included exemptions for a section of the citizenry.

“The government removed the E-levy, which exempted the vast majority of Ghanaians, only to introduce a D-levy that affects all Ghanaians, including unborn babies,” he stated.

Ahiagbah also criticised what he called the NDC’s “rubber-stamp super-majority” in Parliament, accusing it of approving the D-levy without adequate consultation with the Minority, constituents, or relevant stakeholders. He described the move as a “gross disregard for the principle of representative democracy.”

He further condemned the government’s handling of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, citing increased river pollution and deforestation without any declaration of a state of emergency to address the environmental degradation.

According to Ahiagbah, over 30,000 jobs have been lost since the NDC took office, and the administration has failed to honour its campaign pledge to remove the COVID-19 levy.

He added that there is growing concern over the rising cost of living, persistent power outages, commonly referred to as dumsor, and unresolved grievances of nurses and midwives regarding salaries and working conditions.

Ahiagbah also raised alarm over the extension of the Special Import Levy and the continued imposition of the Communications Service Tax, warning that internet costs are expected to rise by 10 percent in July.

On governance and accountability, Ahiagbah accused the Mahama administration of engaging in selective justice and political witch-hunting.

“The government has engaged in a systematic witch-hunt of its political opponents while absolving NDC affiliates of all corruption and related charges,” he said.

He further criticised the administration’s spending priorities, pointing out that while funds were allocated for compensation at the Jubilee House, frontline healthcare workers were still waiting for their agreed salaries and improved conditions of service.

Ahiagbah expressed confidence in the opposition NPP’s electoral prospects, asserting that the NDC would struggle to secure a majority vote if elections were held today.

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