President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been accused of abusing state resources through the commissioning of projects and regional tours, which critics claim are disguised forms of political campaigning for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Presidential Candidate.
Mr. Abraham Koomson, Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), made this assertion, describing the president’s actions as “a blatant abuse of incumbency.” He stated, “President Akufo-Addo is running around the whole country on a commissioning spree and using the state platform to campaign for the NPP Presidential Candidate.
“This is purely abuse of incumbency and unduly taking advantage of unlimited state resources at the disposal of the presidency and government to work for the NPP,” he said during an engagement with the media in Tema on Monday.
Mr. Koomson also accused Dr. Bawumia and the Ministers of State of misusing state resources for campaign purposes. “Dr. Bawumia and Ministers of State are all blatantly using state resources to aid the third-term bid campaign,” he added.
The GFL Secretary General called for action from key stakeholders, including religious and traditional leaders, civil society organizations, media, labour unions, and governance institutions, to address the alleged abuse. “They are taking undue advantage of government power and resources in their electioneering campaign, which is a cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer,” Mr. Koomson said.
“President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia have turned state functions into another political rally ground to campaign for the term bid. Fleets of state vehicles are also crisscrossing the country, with ministers campaigning vigorously at the expense of the taxpayer. Our democracy is seriously threatened by abuse of incumbency,” he warned.
Mr. Koomson expressed particular concern about the politicization of access to public facilities, turning official events into campaign rallies, and using public goods for partisan purposes. “It is improper, and we must all speak against it when public cars, state security, state officials, state venues, and paraphernalia are used for political purposes,” he said.
The Secretary General also accused the NPP and its candidate of engaging in coercive political practices, such as preventing opponents from advertising, blocking the use of municipal facilities for campaign events, denying opponents access to citizens, and using threats to secure votes.
“This conduct is undemocratic, and we must all get up and condemn it; let us protect the sanctity of our democratic system,” Mr. Koomson urged.
Additionally, he alleged that President Akufo-Addo, Dr. Bawumia, and the NPP government are unlawfully funding election campaigns using state funds, employing public servants as campaign workers, utilizing public transportation for electoral purposes, and engaging in vote-buying.
“The fundamental tenets of our democratic administration are incompatible with the misuse of incumbency,” Mr. Koomson stated. “We must all get up and condemn it; let us protect the sanctity of our democratic system.”
The GFL Secretary General emphasized that the abuse of incumbency remains a persistent challenge in Ghanaian elections and must be addressed to ensure a credible electoral process and effective democratic governance. “Abuse of incumbency is a scourge in Ghanaian elections, and it must be prevented,” he concluded.
