Private legal practitioner and member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has declared that his greatest wish is to see former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia become President of Ghana. Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show, Obiri Boahen said his support for Bawumia is based on his personal assessment of his character and leadership qualities, not merely party loyalty. His remarks were reported by Adomonline.
Obiri Boahen described Bawumia as a “God-fearing leader” who has the capacity to address Ghana’s challenges. “I am a staunch member of the NPP, and my only prayer in this world is that Dr. Bawumia becomes President of Ghana. It is not because I am an NPP member, but because I see him as a God-fearing person who can put the odds together,” he said.
Touching on the issue of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, Obiri Boahen argued that banning the activity outright is not a practical solution. He said government should instead regulate small-scale mining and provide documentation for operators to work legally. “During the 2024 elections, galamsey was one of the major issues we campaigned on. I said there was no way we could completely ban it. Instead, we should give them documents to regularise their activities so they can also make a living,” he explained.
He criticised the disparity between how small-scale miners are treated compared to large-scale mining companies. According to him, government receives limited returns from multinational firms while communities suffer environmental damage. “Large mining companies come in, and government receives only about 10 percent from them. They use our roads, destroy them with their trucks, yet government is left to fix those roads. Meanwhile, when young people are mining to feed themselves, we turn around to attack them,” he said.
Obiri Boahen also expressed disappointment in Ghana’s leadership since independence, comparing the country’s development trajectory with Malaysia. He lamented that despite Ghana’s resources, successive leaders have failed to deliver transformative progress. “Some of our leaders from independence until today have disappointed us. Jerry Rawlings ruled for 18 years when Malaysia was nowhere near where it is today, but look at Malaysia now,” he noted.
He acknowledged contributions by past presidents, citing John Agyekum Kufuor’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Nana Akufo-Addo’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy as significant achievements. He added that former President John Mahama had proposed free tertiary education, which was never fully implemented.
Reflecting on Ghana’s future, Obiri Boahen said he speaks with sadness about the legacy the current generation will leave behind. “I talk with sadness because very soon I will leave this world, and when we are gone, what will we say our mission on earth was?” he asked.
