Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has expressed disappointment in some appointees of President John Dramani Mahama, accusing them of prioritizing succession politics over delivering the reset agenda. Pratt described the situation as a personal betrayal of the president, saying he felt "very sad" for Mahama and calling the disloyalty among some appointees "monumental." He argued that Mahama had come into office promising to fix persistent problems in education and health.
According to Pratt, many appointees have shown little interest in restructuring the economy or advancing the reset programme, focusing instead on positioning themselves for a future leadership contest. He suggested that this preoccupation had effectively left Mahama isolated within his own administration, describing the president as being "held hostage" by the situation. Pratt extended his criticism to the wider National Democratic Congress (NDC), arguing that attention within the party had shifted away from flagship promises.
Pratt pointed to activity on NDC-aligned social media platforms as evidence, saying discussions there were dominated by speculation over who might replace Mahama rather than debate over how to implement the 24-hour economy initiative the party campaigned on. This shift in focus, Pratt implied, was detrimental to the party's goals and the country's development. He also referenced earlier claims that senior NDC elders had secretly intervened to head off an emerging succession contest.
Pratt's latest remarks build directly on claims he made in a previous interview, in which he revealed that senior NDC elders had summoned a presidential hopeful within the party to quell succession tensions. By tying his new comments back to that episode, Pratt has deepened public discussion of a rift within the NDC over succession, even as Mahama's government continues to promote the reset agenda as its central policy framework.
The dispute Pratt describes speaks to whether government appointees tasked with fixing pressing issues in education, health, and the economy are focused on those responsibilities or on internal party positioning ahead of 2028. Pratt's comments suggest that infighting inside the NDC could affect how quickly and effectively the reset agenda's goals in these sectors are pursued.
No official response from President Mahama's office, the NDC, or named appointees has been reported so far. It is also not clear from available reporting which individuals within government Pratt considers to be prioritizing succession over policy delivery. The lack of response has left many questions unanswered about the potential impact of the succession tensions on the government's work.
The situation has raised concerns about the potential consequences for the country's development, with many Ghanaians eagerly awaiting the implementation of the reset agenda's goals in education, health, and the economy. As the NDC prepares for the 2028 elections, it remains to be seen how the party will address the internal divisions and succession tensions raised by Pratt.
Key points
- Kwesi Pratt Jnr criticizes NDC appointees for prioritizing succession over President Mahama's reset agenda
- Pratt describes the situation as a personal betrayal of President Mahama
- The dispute has raised concerns about the potential impact on the government's work and the country's development
