The Director of Research and Innovation at Kumasi Technical University, Professor Smart Sarpong, has identified five ministries under President John Dramani Mahama’s administration that he believes are underperforming and have failed to bring glory to the government.
Speaking in an interview on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme on October 15, 2026, Professor Sarpong expressed disappointment in the performance of the ministries, urging their respective ministers to improve their work to avoid becoming liabilities to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2028 general elections.
According to him, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, headed by Kofi Adams, is among the worst-performing ministries under the current administration.
He cited challenges surrounding the African Athletics Championships, the performance of the Black Stars and the recent World Cup visa scandal as issues that have negatively affected the ministry’s image.
Professor Sarpong argued that, as the sector minister, Kofi Adams must take responsibility for addressing these challenges and improving the ministry’s performance.
“Kofi Adams needs to work because, over the last two years, the African Athletics Championships have been a mess. The Black Stars are not doing well under your tenure, and there is also this visa scandal. As the sector minister, he needs to step up. The Sports Ministry is a disgrace to the government,” he stated.
Turning his attention to the Ministry of Education, Professor Sarpong described the sector, headed by Haruna Iddrisu, as another underperforming ministry that has failed to bring glory to the government.
He expressed concern over what he described as widespread challenges within the education sector, particularly teacher-related issues and industrial actions.
According to him, the situation has created significant difficulties within the sector, raising questions about the ministry’s performance.
“When you look at the Education Ministry, the sector is actually in chaos because I work under this ministry. So, the Education Ministry has also not brought any glory to the government,” he said.
Professor Sarpong further criticised the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, headed by Abla Dzifa Gomashie, describing its performance as disappointing.
“Tourism, Creative Arts and Culture is also a disgrace to the government,” he remarked.
He also mentioned the Ministry of Transport, led by Joseph Bukari Nikpe, as another ministry that, in his assessment, has failed to live up to expectations.
Professor Sarpong subsequently turned his attention to the Ministry of the Interior, headed by Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, citing concerns about cocaine smuggling and other security-related matters as reasons for his dissatisfaction with the ministry’s performance.
He maintained that the challenges confronting these ministries could negatively affect public confidence in the government if urgent steps are not taken to address them.
“The Transport Ministry is the same, and the Interior Ministry too. Today, there is cocaine and other matters. So, they have just two more years to correct things; otherwise, that could cost them,” he cautioned.
Professor Sarpong stressed that the ministers responsible for these five ministries must intensify their efforts to address the challenges within their respective sectors.
He warned that failure to improve their performance could become a major political setback for the NDC government as it prepares for the 2028 general elections.
Source: Ghanaweb
