This is an interesting election, to say the least. It’s a contest between the current Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is running to succeed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and former President John Dramani Mahama. Mahama, a former vice president, became president after the passing of the late Professor John Atta Mills. He served one term, much like Donald Trump in the United States, before losing his re-election bid to President Akufo-Addo, who currently occupies the Flagstaff House in Accra, Ghana’s equivalent of the White House.
Ghanaians are quite familiar with both presidential candidates. Mahama is a Christian, while Dr. Bawumia is a Muslim, which introduces some interesting dynamics. There are subtle undertones suggesting a bias toward a Christian-leaning candidate, which could influence the election's outcome.
As with politics anywhere, elections in Ghana can be contentious, and I expect this year to be no different. The economic situation in Ghana has been challenging for ordinary citizens. Over the past eight years under President Akufo-Addo, the Ghanaian cedi has depreciated significantly against the dollar. Agriculture remains a cornerstone of the economy, but the prices of farm produce have not kept pace with the needs of farmers. Meanwhile, the influx of foreign imports has adversely affected the agricultural sector. Ghana also struggles to fully harness its abundant natural resources due to limited technological capacity. These are critical issues that Ghanaians should demand concrete solutions for from their political candidates.
For years, I’ve observed a fascinating pattern in how Ghanaian politics often mirrors U.S. politics. It’s almost as if there’s a parallel between the political parties in both countries:
- During Bill Clinton’s presidency (Democratic Party), Jerry John Rawlings of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led Ghana.
- When John Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) became president, George W. Bush of the Republican Party was in the White House.
- When Bush’s tenure ended, Barack Obama (Democratic Party) took office, and Ghana’s Professor Mills of the NDC won the election. Sadly, Mills passed away, and his vice president, Mahama, succeeded him.
- After Mahama’s first term, he lost to Nana Akufo-Addo of the NPP in 2016, aligning with Donald Trump’s Republican presidency.
However, this correlation broke in 2020 when Joe Biden, a Democrat, won the U.S. election while the NPP retained power in Ghana. Despite this occasional mismatch, the historical pattern has been striking.
So, what does this mean for tomorrow’s election? If the longstanding alignment holds, the NPP might win again. If not, the NDC could emerge victorious.
I’ve been meaning to write about this for years, and what better time than the night before Ghanaians head to the polls?
Ghana has gained recognition as a beacon of democracy in Sub
Saharan Africa and across the entire continent at large. This reputation makes its connection with U.S. politics particularly noteworthy. Due to its history of free, fair, and smooth elections, every U.S. president since Bill Clinton has visited Ghana while in office, except for President Trump (2016–2020) and his immediate successor, Joe Biden.
Expectations for Ghana remain high, and we anticipate peaceful elections tomorrow. This year's election falls on a Saturday, a non-working day, meaning many people will be free to participate. However, this also raises concerns about the potential for unrest if things don't go as some might hope.
Keep your eyes open and, more importantly, pray for a free and fair election.
I remain your observing pal,
Ronnie Law
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