President John Dramani Mahama delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) to a sharply divided House. The address was punctuated by the robust melodies of support from the Majority and the discordant, visual protests of the Minority, creating a uniquely Ghanaian parliamentary spectacle.
The atmosphere was electric from the moment the President arrived at the Forecourt of Parliament. After inspecting a guard of honour mounted by the security services, accompanied by his wife, Lordina Mahama, he was escorted into the Chamber by leadership. The stage was set for a presentation that would be as much about the delivery as it was about the reaction it provoked.
A Tale of Two Wardrobes
The deep political divisions were visually underscored by the attire of the Members of Parliament. The Majority Caucus, showing solidarity with the administration, was resplendent in flowing white traditional outfits—a symbolic embrace of the government’s narrative of economic revival.
In stark contrast, the Minority Caucus arrived draped in pure black attire, accessorised with black sashes bearing a poignant inscription in Twi: “COCOA AKUAFO YAYɛ Ɛ Mɛ BɔƆ DODO” (“Cocoa farmers are sad”). To drive their point home, several Minority members brandished ripe cocoa pods, turning the commodity into a powerful symbol of protest against the government’s recent decision to reduce the producer price of cocoa.
Songs and Heckles in the Chamber
As Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin called upon the President to begin, the House erupted. The Minority rose first, waving their cocoa pods and chanting in disapproval of the cocoa pricing policy. They were almost immediately met by a wave of sound from the Majority, who jumped to their feet, waving miniature Ghanaian flags and singing praises to the President.
This back-and-forth became the rhythm of the afternoon. Whenever President Mahama detailed a government achievement or a new policy initiative, the Majority MPs would rise in a chorus of approval, with chants of “Mahama, Wo Ye Bue” (“Mahama, you are amazing”) and “Mahama Oka ɔɔbɛyɛ” (“When Mahama says it, he does it”) filling the Chamber.
Conversely, the President’s defence of the cocoa price cut was met with loud interjections and a renewed waving of pods from the opposition benches. For the most part, however, the House settled into a pattern of attentive listening, punctuated by these moments of orchestrated political expression.
A Two-Hour Address of Substance and Punch
Over the course of two hours and 18 minutes, President Mahama delivered a robust address that was both a progress report on his first year in office and a sharp critique of the previous administration’s economic management. His delivery was firm and unwavering, touching on key areas of economic recovery, governance, and social intervention.
His tone was particularly pointed when justifying the government’s economic decisions, including the contentious cocoa price reduction, framing them as necessary for long-term stability.
Dignitaries in Attendance
The historic sitting was witnessed by a host of dignitaries, including Vice-President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, and former President John Agyekum Kufuor. Former Speakers of Parliament—Ebenezer Sakyi Hughes, Edward Doe Adjaho (now Chairman of the Council of State), and Aaron Mike Oquaye—were also present, along with security chiefs, members of the diplomatic corps, and traditional leaders.
A Partisan Finale
As President Mahama concluded his address, the Majority MPs rose once more in a final, boisterous show of support. In a fitting retort, the Minority responded by waving their cocoa pods and singing, “We said he would cut cocoa prices,” ensuring that the final word in the Chamber remained as divided as the responses to the speech itself.
