“Tell Your Ministers To Go Back To Their People And Ditch ‘TikTok Parties” — UK-Based Ghanaian
Ade Sawyerr says ministers’ social event appearances create poor public perception and weaken grassroots engagement.
- UK Ghanaian urges ministers to return to constituents
- Criticises “TikTok parties” and poor public image
- Calls for stronger grassroots engagement by officials
A UK-based Ghanaian, Ade Sawyerr, has called on President John Dramani Mahama to encourage his ministers to prioritise engagement with their constituents over attending social events and public parties.
Speaking at a town hall meeting with the President in London on Sunday, May 31, Sawyerr expressed concern about what he described as the increasing visibility of government officials at social gatherings, particularly on social media platforms such as TikTok.
He argued that such appearances risk creating the impression that ministers are disconnected from the everyday challenges facing ordinary Ghanaians.
According to him, ministers should dedicate their weekends to grassroots engagement and constituency visits rather than social activities.
“Every weekend, we see on TikTok the ministers at parties instead of being with their constituents. They are talking to each other, blowing time. It does not look good, Mr President. Please tell them that at weekends, they should go back to their constituents and find out what it is that the people of Ghana need,” he said.
While acknowledging what he described as positive economic indicators presented by government officials, Sawyerr said the public perception of their conduct remains a concern.
He commended the Ghana High Commission in the United Kingdom for organising the engagement session, which allowed members of the Ghanaian diaspora to directly interact with the President and his delegation.
“I’ve listened to some of the ministers, and whilst it looks like the metrics are going in the right direction, the optics do not look very good,” he noted.
He also raised concerns about recurring flooding in Accra, arguing that it reflects the need for stronger attention to long-standing infrastructural challenges.
“Every year, there’s perennial flooding. We have not been able to solve that problem in the city of Accra, our main city,” he added.
The comments were made during a question-and-answer session at the diaspora town hall meeting, where participants raised concerns and suggestions on governance, development, and public accountability.
