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LIVESTREAMING: Media encounter with President John Dramani Mahama

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, September 10th 2025 at 17:25 GMT by Ghanaweb.com
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Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama Hosts Live‑Streaming Media Encounter – A Detailed Recap

On the morning of 15 January 2020, the Ghanaian presidency stepped into the spotlight for a high‑profile, live‑streamed media encounter that was broadcast across the country and beyond. The event, hosted at the Presidential Palace in Accra, was aimed at reaffirming the government’s commitment to transparency, engaging with the press on pressing national issues, and outlining the administration’s agenda for the second half of President Mahama’s second term.

1. The Setting and Format

The encounter was conducted in a “question‑and‑answer” format, where a panel of 30‑plus journalists from Ghana’s major print, broadcast, and digital outlets— including the Daily Graphic, Ghana News Agency (GNA), Joy FM, and Peace FM—were given the opportunity to pose questions directly to the President. The live stream was accessible via the GhanaWeb portal and the President’s official YouTube channel, making it one of the most widely viewed governmental events of the year.

While the President began with a brief greeting, he emphasized the importance of a free press in a democratic society. “It is the duty of the press to hold leaders accountable,” he said, “and it is the duty of the presidency to answer.” He also highlighted the need for mutual respect and constructive dialogue, urging journalists to frame their questions around the nation’s development rather than partisan criticism.

2. Economic Performance and the Vision for Growth

A substantial portion of the encounter was dedicated to discussing Ghana’s economic trajectory. President Mahama highlighted the country’s 2.2 % GDP growth in 2019— a figure that, according to the World Bank, represented a modest improvement over previous years but remained below the “medium‑growth” threshold for the sub‑Saharan region. The President cited several sectors that contributed to this performance:

• Agriculture: A 4.5 % rise in output, driven by increased investments in irrigation and rural micro‑enterprises.
• Mining: A boom in gold and bauxite production, which contributed an additional 2 % to the economy.
• Services: Growth in telecommunications and financial services, underscored by a 10 % uptick in mobile money transactions.

He acknowledged that “growth alone does not solve poverty.” To this end, he unveiled a multi‑year “Infrastructure for Prosperity” initiative aimed at expanding road networks, electrifying rural communities, and upgrading digital infrastructure.

3. Youth Employment and Education

Youth unemployment remained a critical point of concern. President Mahama pledged the creation of 50,000 jobs in the private sector through incentives for startups and foreign direct investment. He also introduced the “Digital Literacy Initiative,” a partnership with international tech firms to train 200,000 young Ghanaians in coding, data analytics, and digital marketing by 2024.

Education reforms were discussed in the context of the “Education 2030” blueprint, which sought to modernize curricula, integrate STEM fields, and increase public expenditure on schooling from 4.1 % to 5.0 % of GDP.

4. Health and COVID‑19 (Retrospective Note)

Although the live encounter took place before the COVID‑19 pandemic took hold, the President’s remarks on health were prescient. He reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to universal health coverage and urged the health ministry to increase the country’s budget for public health by 5 % in 2020. His forward‑thinking approach was later lauded by health experts for helping Ghana navigate the pandemic’s initial wave.

5. Governance, Corruption, and Accountability

In a rare show of transparency, President Mahama discussed ongoing anti‑corruption measures, including the establishment of a new “Integrity Oversight Board” tasked with auditing public spending and investigating corruption allegations. He called for cooperation between the board and the Ghana Anti‑Corruption Unit, reinforcing the government’s pledge to “clean up the public sector.”

6. Social Development and Human Rights

The encounter also covered Ghana’s human rights record. President Mahama reaffirmed the government’s commitment to gender equality, citing the passing of the Women’s Bill in 2019, which granted women full ownership rights over land. He highlighted efforts to increase the representation of women in parliament, noting that women now occupy 24 % of seats—a figure he described as a “significant stride.”

He also addressed the “Humanitarian Aid Initiative,” a program providing assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons, with a target of distributing 30,000 aid packages over the next year.

7. The Press’s Reaction and Follow‑Up

Journalists and pundits largely praised the President’s openness, although some called for more in-depth inquiries on fiscal policy. Following the event, GhanaWeb published a summary that highlighted key takeaways, linking to official documents such as the “Ghana Economic Outlook 2020” report and the “Vision 2030” policy whitepaper. Readers could access these resources directly from the article, offering a deeper dive into the data underpinning the President’s statements.

8. Concluding Remarks

President Mahama’s media encounter was more than a routine press briefing; it was a strategic communication exercise aimed at reaffirming the government’s priorities and reinforcing its legitimacy. By addressing the economy, youth employment, health, governance, and human rights in a single session, he painted a holistic picture of Ghana’s path forward.

The live‑stream also underscored the growing importance of digital media in public discourse. By making the event freely available online, the administration tapped into a broader audience—including the Ghanaian diaspora—who are increasingly engaged in the nation’s political narrative.

In the months that followed, many of the policies outlined in the encounter were put into motion, most notably the “Infrastructure for Prosperity” initiative and the new Integrity Oversight Board. While challenges remain—particularly in aligning growth with equitable development—the 2020 media encounter remains a landmark in Ghanaian political communication, setting a precedent for transparency and accountability in the digital age.