Former UT Bank boss and founder, Captain (Rtd) Prince Kofi Amoabeng, says President John Mahama’s humane and easygoing nature could become a weakness if it is not balanced with firm leadership and tough sanctions.
Speaking on Joy News’ AM Show, he said President Mahama is “quite humane” and genuinely cares about people, describing him as humble and well-intentioned.
“He goes for the general road. He has humility. And even the wife is worse when it comes to humility and those values. And he means well,” he said.
Prince Amoabeng acknowledged that the government is recording visible gains, pointing to improvements in inflation, the cedi-to-dollar rate, and other economic indicators.
“Even though they are achieving results, which is quite obvious, if you look at inflation, cedi to dollar rate, and all sorts of indicators, they are doing well,” he noted.
Prince Amoabeng said public confidence remains fragile after years of economic hardship under the previous administration.
“We’ve been through a lot of bad times that we’re only watching. Even though we want to be optimistic, we are very cautious about it,” he said.
While praising President Mahama’s respectful approach to leadership, Prince Amoabeng warned that being too eager to please people could undermine authority at the highest level.
“He’s easygoing. He relates to people with no hard feelings. It’s about respecting everybody,” he said.
But he added that leadership at the presidential level demands the courage to enforce discipline.
“The only thing I’m not sure about our president is that he loves to see people happy. He wants to please people,” he stated.
Asked if that could be a problem, Prince Amoabeng was blunt.
“Yes, because you must be a bit crazy to say this is where we’re going, and if you’re not doing it, you get the sanctions, even if it means sacking,” he said.
He dismissed fears of backlash, insisting accountability must come with consequences.
“With responsibilities, you make them responsible and accountable. It’s very important to question performance and sanction,” he stressed.
Prince Amoabeng also pointed to the need to rebuild strong institutions, especially the judiciary, which he described as central to governance and economic growth.
“Building back the institutions and making them powerful and strong is key,” he said.
He warned that without a credible and respected judiciary, businesses will struggle and investors will stay away.
“Without that, things won’t happen. Businesses won’t succeed. People won’t come and invest,” he cautioned.
Drawing comparisons with countries like Singapore, Rwanda, Japan, and China, Amoabeng argued that successful leaders combine care for citizens with strict accountability.
“They demand accountability and sanction,” he said, adding that tough enforcement is not about hatred, but about making systems work.
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