President Mahama on a property owning spree, says Martin Amidu

Former Special Prosecutor Martin A. B. K. Amidu has launched a blistering critique of President John Mahama, accusing him of embarking on a “property-owning spree” while in office and raising questions about conflict of interest and democratic accountability.

In a detailed article dated February 22, 2026, Mr. Amidu referenced the President’s public disclosure that he had acquired 50 acres of land from Nana Kwebu Ewusi for cocoa cultivation and an additional 100 acres dedicated to oil palm. He questioned the timing, terms and ethical implications of the acquisitions, arguing that such large-scale commercial farming ventures by a sitting President could trigger constitutional concerns under provisions governing conflict of interest and offices of profit.

Mr. Amidu linked the land acquisitions to recent unrest in the cocoa sector, where farmers have protested reductions in the producer price for the 2025/2026 season. He noted that the farmgate price was adjusted from GH¢3,625 to GH¢2,587 per 64-kilogram bag, a move he said has worsened the plight of rural farmers already grappling with rising costs of labour, fertiliser and transportation.

According to him, the government’s decision contradicted earlier assurances that cocoa farmers would receive up to 70 percent of the world market price. He argued that delays in payments and unilateral price reviews undermined trust between the state and farmers, sparking demonstrations in the Western North Region and a picketing of the headquarters of the Ghana Cocoa Board in Accra.

Mr. Amidu further contended that President Mahama’s public identification as a cocoa farmer, intended to signal solidarity with rural producers, rings hollow in light of policies that farmers say have reduced their expected incomes. He described the situation as a breach of faith with vulnerable farming communities whose livelihoods depend almost entirely on cocoa.

Framing the issue as one of morality and legality rather than partisan politics, Mr. Amidu argued that political authority must not be seen as a pathway to private economic expansion. He maintained that the President’s farming activities and the government’s cocoa pricing decisions together create a troubling perception that demands public scrutiny and constitutional reflection.