APOLOGIES AND PROMISES: CAN BAWUMIA WIN BACK GHANA’S TRUST?

When a politician says “we made mistakes,” it is not just a political line, it is an admission that people suffered because of decisions made in high offices. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), recently asked Ghanaians for forgiveness on behalf of ministers, MPs, board members, and appointees who, in his words, did not always govern well.

But governance is not a “try your luck” game. Wrong policies, delays, or poor decisions affect human lives. When prices rise beyond control, families go hungry. When debt is mishandled, businesses collapse. When promises are broken, trust dies. So while forgiveness may come, Ghanaians are right to ask: what happened to the government that called itself “competent” and “the best choice” just a few years ago?

From Competence to Contradictions

During the 2016 and 2020 campaigns, Dr. Bawumia and the NPP presented themselves as the team of “solid economists”, the ones who could manage Ghana’s finances better than anyone else. They often reminded Ghanaians of their superior skills and promised that things would be different under their leadership. Yet the years that followed saw high inflation, a struggling cedi, increased taxes, and eventually, the controversial debt restructuring.

Now, the same people who once promised competence are asking for forgiveness. It raises important questions: Was the competence overstated? Were Ghanaians misled? Or is this simply politics, where promises often outshine reality?

The Human Cost of Governance

What makes this apology heavy is not just politics, but the real lives behind the policies. For every “mistake” government makes, there is a Ghanaian who pays the price. Parents unable to pay school fees, workers losing jobs, patients turned away at hospitals, traders watching their capital vanish. These are not just statistics, they are stories of pain.

So when leaders ask for forgiveness, people are not only forgiving a party; they are remembering the struggles they endured because policies went wrong. Forgiveness may come, but forgetting is harder.

Public Reaction: Between Hope and Doubt

Across the country, reactions to Dr. Bawumia’s apology are mixed. Some say it takes humility for a politician to admit wrong, and this could be the beginning of better leadership. Others feel it is too little, too late. On radio call-in shows, social media, and in everyday conversations, one message keeps repeating: “forgiveness is easy, but trust must be earned again.”

There is also a sense of frustration. Many Ghanaians argue that if the government had supported local businesses better, managed resources carefully, and prioritized the people, Ghana would not be facing its current economic struggles. Some critics even point out that Dr. Bawumia was not a bystander, he was the Vice President, the head of the economic management team, and deeply involved in the very policies he now admits went wrong.

The Road Ahead: Promises Revisited

In his apology, Dr. Bawumia promised to “do better” if given another chance. But promises are not new in Ghanaian politics. What Ghanaians are asking is simple: what will be different this time? Will leaders listen more to the people? Will policies be made with ordinary lives in mind? Will transparency and accountability finally become real?

Because at the end of the day, governance is not a classroom test you can retake until you pass. It is real-time, and every mistake costs someone their livelihood, health, or future. Ghanaians can forgive, but they also expect change.

A Teachable Moment

Dr. Bawumia’s apology has opened up a national conversation, not just about mistakes, but about accountability. It reminds us that politics is not only about winning power; it is about managing lives. Forgiveness is possible, but it must be tied to lessons learned and actions changed.

For now, Ghanaians are watching, weighing, and waiting. The question is no longer whether leaders can admit mistakes, it is whether they can ensure those mistakes are not repeated. Because Ghana deserves not experiments, but real governance that values every single life.