Party Loyalists Demand Accountability as MP ‘Rebrands’ Mahama’s Health Agenda as Her Project

A storm is brewing in the North Dayi Constituency, where sitting Member of Parliament Joycelyn Quashie is under fire for allegedly repackaging President John Dramani Mahama’s flagship health initiative as her personal project.

The MP has been widely advertising what she calls a “Free Health Insurance Renewal and Registration Exercise” — but angry National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters say the programme is, in fact, a nationwide government policy launched under President Mahama’s Free Primary Healthcare Agenda.

Constituents accuse the MP of “political opportunism” and deliberate deception, claiming her branded flyers and social-media posts falsely suggest she single-handedly introduced the scheme.

“This is pure propaganda,” one senior party organiser in Vakpo fumed. “The President is providing free healthcare for all Ghanaians, and instead of amplifying his vision, she’s misleading people to think it’s her personal benevolence.”

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Government Programme, Not MP Initiative

President Mahama’s health agenda — unveiled at the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit in Accra — focuses on free primary healthcare, strengthening the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and introducing the Mahama Cares Ghana Medical Trust Fund to support citizens battling chronic illnesses such as cancer, kidney failure, and diabetes.

The free-care policy allows Ghanaians to receive treatment at CHPS compounds, clinics, and polyclinics without an active NHIS card, targeting the 60 percent of citizens currently outside the insurance system.

Under the plan, the Ministry of Health and the NHIA coordinate community registration drives — the same exercise now being advertised by the North Dayi MP as her own.

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Backlash Within NDC Ranks

Grassroots activists say Mrs Quashie’s publicity stunt risks undermining President Mahama’s credibility and eroding support for the party in a stronghold constituency.

“Her conduct is politically tone-deaf,” said an NDC youth organiser. “It sends the wrong message — that government is doing nothing, when in fact it’s the President’s policy she’s using for personal gain.”

Party executives are calling on the MP to publicly correct the record and give credit where it is due, warning that misrepresentation of flagship policies could cost the NDC votes.

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Security Concerns Escalate

Tensions have intensified after community members accused the MP’s brother, identified as Adom Seme, of repeatedly brandishing a firearm and threatening residents in Vakpo, Awatey, and Aneta. Locals say he has reportedly “pulled a gun” on several occasions and yet remains at large.

Fearing further escalation, constituents say they have alerted senior party officials — including the NDC National Chairman — and the President. Some residents have publicly warned that, should such threats continue, they will take matters into their own hands.

Regional leaders and community elders, however, urged restraint and called on law enforcement and party authorities to investigate the allegations promptly and ensure peaceful, lawful redress. “We are asking the police and the party to act so the law takes its course,” said one Volta Region executive.

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Mahama’s Health Vision

The Free Primary Healthcare Programme forms part of President Mahama’s broader Reset Ghana Agenda, aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.

Funding for the rollout comes from the uncapped NHIS levy, which now generates about GHS 3.5 billion annually to expand access and reduce out-of-pocket expenses.

The complementary Mahama Cares initiative, launched in April 2025, supports patients with high-cost chronic conditions — a move the World Health Organization has hailed as a model for African self-reliance in health financing.

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Call for Honesty, Unity and the Rule of Law

Regional party elders have privately reminded MPs that all health outreach under the Mahama administration must be branded as a government programme, not individual initiatives.

“This government’s achievements belong to the people of Ghana — not to any one politician,” a Volta Region executive told this paper. “We expect discipline, honesty, and teamwork, not self-promotion.”

As pressure mounts, constituents say they will watch closely to see whether the North Dayi MP sets the record straight — and whether party and security authorities will investigate the alleged threats linked to her brother.