Akwasi Acquah raises concern over Mahama’s direct involvement in defending ‘Abobolance’ initiative

Akim Oda MP and former Deputy Minister for Health, Hon. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has expressed dissatisfaction with President John Dramani Mahama’s direct involvement in addressing certain national issues.

Hon. Acquah believes that problems such as the controversial motorcycle ambulance (“Abobolance”) initiative and the return of erratic power supply (“Dumsor”), should not necessitate personal intervention by President Mahama.

Mr. Acquah’s remarks suggest these issues could be handled through institutional or governmental channels rather than being taken up directly by the President.

Mr Acquah expressed his dissatisfaction on his official Facebook page, noting that the President has had to address issues that have sparked widespread public concern personally.

He stated, “I am not happy the President himself has to explain some of the issues that Ghanaians are not happy with,” while highlighting the hashtags #Abobolance and #Dumsor to emphasize the specific matters causing public agitation.

The MP’s remarks come amid growing public demand in Ghana for clear timelines to resolve the ongoing power outages that are severely affecting businesses and households. At the same time, the “Abobolance” initiative—aimed at enhancing emergency response in rural areas—has come under intense scrutiny over questions about its appropriateness and effectiveness within the health sector.

Although the President has recently addressed the nation on various economic and social challenges, Akwasi Acquah’s position indicates a call for sector ministers and state agencies to take a more active role. He contended that the appropriate officials should be responsible for communicating with the public and addressing these operational challenges directly.

During a sod-cutting ceremony for a 24-hour economy market in Bimbilla, as part of his Northern Region tour, the President took the opportunity to clarify the purpose and nature of the “Abobolance” initiative.

He explained that the tricycles deployed under the Free Primary Healthcare initiative are not meant to serve as standard ambulances. Rather, they are designed as transportation tools for community health workers to access remote villages that larger vehicles cannot reach.

​The Oda MP’s remarks have ignited a heated online debate about the effectiveness of government communicators and the handling of sector-specific crises.

By raising these concerns, the former Deputy Health Minister has highlighted the strong public sentiment surrounding the current challenges in the country’s energy and healthcare logistics sectors.