President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians to hold his government accountable for its performance, insisting that he does not take offence when citizens criticise his leadership or question the direction of the country.
He said criticism from the public, including complaints shared on social media platforms such as TikTok, helps him assess the performance of his administration and identify areas requiring urgent attention.
Speaking during an engagement with the Ghanaian community in Moscow, Russia, President Mahama said he regularly comes across citizens’ complaints online and sometimes contacts ministers directly to demand explanations about challenges in their respective sectors.
Also read: Petrol prices to fall as diesel and LPG rise from November 1 – COMAC
“I don’t mind if people tell me I’m leading the country in the wrong direction. Criticism helps me to do better, and so all your TikToks, don’t think I don’t see them. I see them,” he said.
The President explained that he uses information gathered from traditional media and social media platforms to engage ministers on issues affecting their sectors.
“Sometimes I go on the media, and I see something, and I call the minister, and I say, ‘Hey, my friend, what is happening in your sector?’” he recounted.
To illustrate how public criticism can influence government intervention, Mr Mahama cited a complaint he encountered online about a bridge in the Ashanti Region that had reportedly been washed away following illegal mining activities.
He said he forwarded the complaint to the responsible regional minister, who subsequently visited the affected area and identified a blocked channel contributing to the problem.
According to the President, an excavator was deployed to clear the obstruction and restore the flow of water.
“That is how you solve some of these things,” he said.
President Mahama described social media as an important tool for modern governance, arguing that platforms such as TikTok provide his administration with real-time information about developments and difficulties confronting communities across the country.
He encouraged Ghanaians to continue speaking out against issues they believe are detrimental to national development, stressing that their concerns should not be dismissed simply because they are expressed through social media.
The President also challenged citizens to place national interest above political affiliations when demanding accountability from those in government.
He argued that Ghanaians should be prepared to criticise the government regardless of the political party in power, particularly when decisions or developments threaten the country’s progress.