By Lord Fiifi Quayle, Political Analyst Tv Democrat

Accra, Ghana

When history looks back on Ghana’s turbulent yet resilient democratic journey, the years following the Nana Akufo-Addo administration will stand as a turning point a moment when the nation’s economy teetered between despair and renewal. After years of economic freefall marked by debt distress, rising inflation, and a battered cedi, President John Dramani Mahama has returned to the helm with a singular mission: to reset Ghana’s economy.

And by all measures, he is doing just that.

Inflation has eased, the cedi is relatively stable, and the administration’s flagship initiatives the 24-hour economy and the Volta Economic Basin project are reigniting confidence in Ghana’s productive sectors. To many, Mahama is no longer the man who once lost power in 2016; he is now the leader orchestrating Ghana’s long awaited economic takeoff.

But therein lies the paradox Mahama’s constitutionally mandated final term ends in 2028. The question that now looms large in the minds of Ghanaians and political observers alike is this: Who carries the torch after Mahama?

The Winds of Change and the Businessman’s Gambit

Across the political divide, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is undergoing its own transformation. With public trust deeply eroded after the Akufo-Addo era’s economic mismanagement, the party’s strategy for revival may rest in a familiar yet untested narrative the businessman’s promise.

Enter Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong. Outspoken, bold, and fiercely independent, Agyapong has carved a political persona unlike any in Ghanaian politics. Known for his sprawling business empire and blunt honesty, he is positioning himself as the man who can “run Ghana like a business” a slogan that resonates with a weary populace desperate for jobs and economic pragmatism over political rhetoric.

If he secures the NPP’s presidential nomination, the 2028 campaign could revolve around a singular message: “I am a businessman who knows how to create jobs.”

For an electorate increasingly wised up with traditional political talk, that message may carry weight. Yet, it also presents a unique challenge to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) a party whose identity has long been rooted in social democracy rather than entrepreneurial capitalism.

The NDC’s Dilemma: The Search for the Next Visionary

Who can match Kennedy Agyapong’s “businessman brand” in the post Mahama era?

Three names quietly dominate conversations within the NDC’s inner circles: Ibrahim Mahama, Kwame Awuah-Darko, and Julius Debrah. All three are successful businessmen in their own right pragmatic, connected, and capable of bridging the gap between private enterprise and public policy.

Ibrahim Mahama, the president’s brother and founder of Engineers & Planners, commands both admiration and criticism a symbol of industrial ambition and the controversies that come with proximity to power. Awuah-Darko, the former CEO of BOST and TOR, brings technocratic acumen and experience in managing energy and logistics sectors central to Ghana’s recovery. Julius Debrah, the current Chief of Staff and accomplished entrepreneur, remains a steady, quiet force within the NDC hierarchy.

Then there’s Haruna Iddrisu, once seen as a natural heir to Mahama’s political legacy. His recent declaration of support for Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, however, suggests a shift toward continuity rather than confrontation.

The question remains: can the NDC field a candidate who not only sustains Mahama’s policies but also embodies the entrepreneurial zeal needed to counter the NPP’s new narrative?

A Clash of Visions, Not Just Politics

If Ghana’s 2028 elections proceed along these lines, the country is poised for one of the most fascinating contests in its Fourth Republic. Gone may be the days of tribal or purely partisan voting. Instead, the debate could pivot on economic management, innovation, and the future of youth employment.

Mahama’s economic reset will either be seen as the foundation of a new Ghanaian renaissance or a fragile interlude before the next cycle of instability. Kennedy Agyapong’s candidacy, should it materialize, will test whether Ghanaians truly believe that businessmen can govern better than politicians.

Either way, 2028 will not be business as usual. It will be a contest of vision, credibility, and legacy where rhetoric will matter less than results, and where Ghana’s young, restless voters will demand answers, not slogans.

As Ghana stands on the brink of what could be its next economic miracle, the stakes have never been higher. The next leader will not only inherit Mahama’s revival project but the hopes of a nation eager to believe once more that progress is possible.

GHANA MUST RISE AGAIN