Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirant Francis Addai-Nimo has rated President John Dramani Mahama’s performance at 7 out of 10, saying the president cannot afford to fail Ghanaians.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on Neat FM, the former Asante Mampong constituency Member of Parliament (MP) said the president had demonstrated stronger control over the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) compared with his first term in office from 2013 to 2016.
“He is governing with people, but I see that during his first term from 2013 to 2016, his control over the NDC was weak. Now, you can see that the respect he commands in the NDC is very strong. When he issues instructions or warnings to appointees, you see the effect,” he said.
Addai-Nimo explained that he had observed a difference in President Mahama’s demeanour during the 2024 election campaign, which convinced him that the president would perform better if given another opportunity to govern.
He said the economic difficulties at the time, including the depreciation of the cedi, high fuel prices and rising costs of goods, contributed to the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general election.
He also cited internal challenges within the NPP, including disunity, discrimination and selfishness, as factors that weakened the party ahead of the polls.
Assessing the current president’s performance, Addai-Nimo recalled giving him a rating of 8 out of 10 in 2025, his first year back in office.
However, he said he would give President Mahama a lower score of 7 out of 10 for 2026, while maintaining that the president was still on course.
“Where we are at the moment, President Mahama cannot afford to fail Ghana. If he does, then… At least for the first two years, this is the last quarter of 2026,” he said.
He added that maintaining the earlier rating of 8 out of 10 had become more difficult as the government moved further into its term.
“It is not easy for him to meet the 8/10 rate I gave him earlier because, as government progresses, things become tougher,” Addai-Nimo said.
His assessment comes as the Mahama administration continues to implement its policy agenda following the NDC’s return to power in the 2024 general election.
Gifty Boateng