By Daniel Bampoe
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is ramping up pressure on President John Dramani Mahama and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to provide full transparency regarding the health and current status of Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who has been absent from public life for over six weeks.
The latest demand came from a National Vice Chairman of the NPP, Alhaji Osman Masawudu, who questioned the Mahama administration’s silence and accused it of deliberately concealing critical information from the Ghanaian public.
Speaking on Accra-based Original TV, Alhaji Masawudu stated bluntly, “Ghanaians deserve to know the health status of their Vice President, the money spent on her medical bills, and her current whereabouts. There’s been no official update. Whether she is dead or alive, the people must be told.”
His comments echo growing public concern over the Vice President’s prolonged absence and the lack of consistent communication from the Presidency.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, 72, was last seen publicly on March 28, 2025, at a Ramadan iftar event in Accra.
Reports indicate that she suffered a health scare shortly after and was admitted to the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC).
On March 30, the Office of the President issued a brief statement confirming she was stable and had been advised to seek further treatment abroad.
The Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu announced she would be on a three-week medical leave.
Since then, however, nearly two months have passed with no official update on her return or condition.
The silence from the Presidency has only heightened speculation and public agitation.
The controversy was reignited on Mother’s Day, when President Mahama posted a dated photograph of himself with the Vice President on social media.
In the caption, he claimed to have visited her earlier that day, noting that she was “taking a deserved rest after recovering from illness.”
However, he stopped short of disclosing her location or confirming whether she had returned to Ghana, leaving many unanswered questions.
Alhaji Masawudu insists the matter is not just a personal or medical issue but a constitutional concern.
“This is the second-highest officeholder in the country. We cannot run a democracy where the whereabouts of the Vice President are shrouded in mystery. It sets a dangerous precedent,” he added.
The NPP’s demand adds to the mounting public pressure on the Presidency to be more transparent.
Critics argue that while personal health can be a private matter, the Vice President’s extended absence without formal updates undermines public trust and raises issues of governance accountability.
This episode mirrors past criticisms of the Mahama-led administration’s communication style, with opposition voices warning of a broader pattern of non-transparency and selective information release.
