The National Democratic Congress (NDC) government under President John Dramani Mahama began 2025 with high public approval, but just six months later, the optimism appears to be slipping away.
According to IMANI Africa’s latest Public Understanding and Literacy for Sentiment and Election Analysis (PULSE) report, enthusiasm surrounding the new administration has given way to skepticism, frustration, and even fear.
The think tank, which analyzed over 22,000 online mentions across Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, and newsfeeds, noted that January’s inauguration and the launch of the ResettingGhana agenda inspired 65–70 percent positive sentiment.
The swearing-in of Ghana’s first female Vice President, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, added to the hopeful mood, with civil society embracing a “watchful optimism.”
But by March, approval began to crack. The government’s decision to abolish unpopular taxes such as the E-levy won praise, yet mass dismissals of public sector workers overshadowed this progress, earning Mahama the viral nickname “Terminator 1.” The harsh cuts stirred fear among civil servants and anxiety among young people hoping for jobs.
The breaking point came in April and May, when the private jet controversy and the controversial Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative cast doubts on the government’s sincerity.
Online discourse turned sharply negative, with 85 percent of conversations condemning “Rambo-style” arrests of political opponents.
By June, controversies over selective prosecutions, the U.S. Embassy and National Service Scheme scandals, and continued dismissals had pushed approval ratings to their lowest point since the administration began.
IMANI concluded bluntly, “Credibility is the most valuable political currency, and the NDC is quickly spending it.”
