The flagbearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama has criticised Ghana’s current democratic trajectory, alleging that the nation has lost its standing as a model democracy in Africa.

During his Northern Region tour, Mr. Mahama lamented an apparent loss of judicial independence and the erosion of other key state institutions, which he says have damaged Ghana’s reputation abroad.

“Anywhere I go, people ask me, ‘Ghana, what happened to you? Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana, what happened to you?’” the NDC flagbearer remarked.

According to Mr. Mahama, “everybody looked up to Ghana as the model of democracy; today, we are a bad model of democracy.

“Our judiciary is not independent, all our state institutions have been destroyed. People looked up to Ghana as a model of economic management; today, our economy is in shambles.”

Mr. Mahama’s comments come amid heightened public scrutiny of the judiciary following a contentious legal battle involving Effutu MP Alexander Afenyo-Markin and Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin.

The controversy began when Speaker Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant, prompting Afenyo-Markin to file a legal challenge.

The Supreme Court responded by issuing a stay on the Speaker’s declaration, a decision that Bagbin’s legal team contested on jurisdictional grounds.

However, the Supreme Court upheld its original ruling, affirming its jurisdiction and rejecting Speaker Bagbin’s appeal.

The case has intensified public debate over the judiciary’s autonomy and institutional stability in Ghana, issues Mahama highlights as critical to safeguarding the nation’s democratic foundations.

In his address, Mahama called for urgent action to restore confidence in Ghana’s institutions, emphasising that a robust, independent judiciary and resilient state institutions are key to rebuilding public trust and preserving Ghana’s democratic legacy.