An activist of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), P.K. Sarpong, has criticized President John Dramani Mahama for what he describes as an inappropriate fascination with Ibrahim Traoré, the military leader of Burkina Faso.
He contends that it is surprising for a democratic leader to consistently associate with a military figure.
Sarpong’s remarks came after a significant government delegation attended the unveiling of a statue of the former military leader of Burkina Faso, Captain Thomas Sankara, over the weekend.
Questionable alliance
In a Facebook post that sparked outrage among many Ghanaians, Sarpong challenged Mahama to explain his intentions behind this questionable alliance with Traoré. “It is mind-boggling, to put it mildly,” he stated.
While acknowledging that Captain Sankara was a respected military leader, admired by many—including some Ghanaians during a time when coups were common in Africa—Sarpong argued that if a statue has been erected to honour him, only a few representatives should have been sent to the event.
He questioned why so many government officials were involved, especially at the expense of Ghanaian taxpayers. “Even if Ibrahim Traoré is covering their expenses, couldn’t one or two appointees attend instead?” he asked.
Sarpong suggested that only a select few, such as Edward Omane Boamah, the Minister of Defence, Larry Gbevlo Lartey, the Special Envoy to the Alliance of Sahel States, and perhaps Zanetor Rawlings, should have participated in the trip.
Waste of resources
He labelled the decision to send an extensive delegation to Ouagadougou simply for the unveiling of a statue as “a waste of time and resources.”
“Instead of assisting in the restoration of democracy in Burkina Faso, John Mahama seems more focused on fostering a relationship with Traoré. Mahama appears to have a greater affinity for this military leader than any other in the sub-region, and he should clarify the reasons for this. The optics are detrimental to Ghana’s image,” he concluded.
