Joe Yapzor

As the Frafra people say, “a mother dog does not bite her child to the bone,” meaning no matter how much a puppy misbehaves, its mother won’t punish it too harshly. This proverb hangs heavy over President John Mahama’s second tenure since January 7, 2025, as Ghanaians wonder: will he truly hold his own party members and appointees accountable in his fight against corruption, or will he spare them the full bite?

Throughout the 2024 election campaign, Mahama sang one song loud and clear: a promise to tackle corruption and slash government spending. So far, he’s shown some teeth. He’s appointed a lean cabinet and trimmed the presidential staff, canceled DSTV subscriptions at the Jubilee House and for his appointees, and recently scrapped fuel allowances for government officials, insisting they too must share the sacrifices demanded of ordinary Ghanaians. These moves have won applause from some, proving Mahama’s serious about tightening the belt.

But the bigger question looms: will he bare those teeth against his own people if they’re caught in corruption’s grip? Ghanaians are skeptical, and they’ve got reason to be. The much-hyped Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), meant to haul corrupt officials from the previous government to justice, seems to be dragging its feet. If Mahama’s struggling to hold his predecessors accountable, can we trust him to swiftly punish his own allies, his “puppies”, if they stray?

A flicker of hope emerged yesterday when the Attorney-General ordered the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to probe names listed in the Prof. Frimpong Illegal Mining Report. Among them are bigwigs from Mahama’s own National Democratic Congress (NDC), including Organizer Joseph Yamin and Third Vice Chairman Yakubu Abanga. This move suggests Mahama might be ready to bite, but will he go for the bone?

The precedent of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gives pause. Nana Addo promised Ghanaians a corruption-free government and set up the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in 2018 to prove it. Yet, when the first Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, dug into the Agyapa Royalties deal, he accused Nana Addo of meddling and resigned in 2020, claiming the President was more interested in fighting him than corruption. Though the OSP continues under new leadership, that saga left many Ghanaians doubting whether leaders can truly confront their own. Will Mahama fall into the same trap, shielding his allies to keep party unity?

The Prof. Frimpong Report, which exposes illegal mining deals, is a litmus test. Investigating NDC stalwarts like Yamin and Abanga is no small thing, it risks fracturing party loyalty. If Mahama pushes forward, it would signal he’s serious about cleaning house, even at personal cost. But if these probes fizzle out or get buried, like some corrupt cases in the past, it’ll fuel doubts that Mahama’s bark is louder than his bite.

Ghanaians are watching. Will Mahama let party politics dull his fangs, as Nana Addo’s critics claimed he did? Or will he prove he’s different, crushing corruption even when it’s close to home? The Frafra proverb reminds us a mother dog protects her own, but for Ghana’s sake, Mahama might need to bite harder than expected. Can he do it, or will his puppies walk free?