Setting The Record Straight: A Call for Truth and Fairness

I write this not with political lenses, but from a purely factual standpoint—one that seeks to correct a deliberately created misconception. It is important that in our national discourse, we uphold truth and resist the temptation to distort facts to fit a divisive agenda.

Recently, blogger Okatakyie Afrifa, who until recently, used to work for Angel FM in Accra, claimed that President Mahama has appointed only Northerners and Voltarians to his cabinet and for that matte, his government. This assertion is not just false but also dangerously misleading. A closer look at the composition of the cabinet reveals a regional balance that completely disproves his claim.

First, let us be clear: The idea of lumping all regions in the North together and calling them “Northerners,” as if they were one homogenous group, is both deceptive and tribalistic. The North of Ghana is richly diverse, with distinct ethnic groups, cultures, and political dynamics. Reducing all of them into a singular bloc for political mischief is not only unfair but also intellectually dishonest.

If, as Afrifa claims, the government is dominated by Northern and Volta appointees, why then did the people of President Mahama’s own home region, the Savannah Region, openly demonstrate against him for the lack of appointments from their region? If his argument held any truth, wouldn’t his home region have been among the most represented?

Now, let’s examine the actual numbers:

MINISTERS FROM “SOUTHERN” GHANA BY “INDIVIDUAL” REGIONS

Central Region – 1 (Finance)

Ashanti Region – 2 (Interior; Works, Housing and Water Resources)

Western Region – 2 (Health; Lands and Natural Resources)

Eastern Region – 1 (Defence)

Bono Region – 2 (Trade, Agribusiness and Industry; Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs)

Ahafo Region – 1 (Food and Agriculture)

Volta Region – 2 (Foreign Affairs; Roads and Highways)

Greater Accra Region – 2 (Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations; Gender, Children and Social Protection)

Total for Southern Ghana: 13 ministers

MINISTERS FROM NORTHERN GHANA BY “INDIVIDUAL” REGIONS.

Upper East Region – 1 (Attorney General and Justice)

Savannah Region – 1 (Energy and Green Transition)

Northern Region – 3 (Education; Environment, Science and Technology; Transport)

Upper West Region – 1 (Labour, Jobs and Employment)

Total for Northern Ghana: 6 ministers

Summary:

Ministers from Southern Ghana: 13

Ministers from Northern Ghana: 6

Clearly, if Afrifa were being honest in his breakdown, he would have realized that the so-called “Northerners” he claims dominate the cabinet actually have fewer appointments than the South. If he wanted to divide Ghana into a simplistic “North vs. South” narrative, then the North is, in fact, underrepresented.

Misinformation like this is not just dangerous—it fuels unnecessary division in a country that thrives on unity. We must rise above political propaganda and demand intellectual honesty in our national conversations. Ghana deserves better.

Let the facts, not tribal sentiment, guide our discussions.

By Abdul Hayi Moomen