‘Mahama has set the tone, now his team must follow’ – Dr Ishmael Yamson

Former Unilever Ghana boss Dr. Ishmael Yamson has called on President John Mahama to lead by example, insisting that the commitment to resetting Ghana must be demonstrated from the highest levels of power.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition on Thursday, March 6, MTN Ghana Board Chair, stated that real change will only happen if leaders visibly practice what they preach.

“The president has set the tone by reducing the number of ministers and deputy ministers to 60 from over 100. That’s a big leap. That’s a big step. What that says is that it can be done,” he said.

According to him, this move signals a willingness to embrace fiscal discipline, but it must not stop there.

Dr. Yamson stressed that fiscal discipline should be the Finance Minister’s top priority, as it will create the foundation for economic stability.

“The moment you establish fiscal discipline, the monetary policy will help the macro stability faster. And I am very, very confident Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson is determined to do just that. I know, and he knows, that the pressure will not ever go down,” he noted.

He acknowledged that the government has only four years to make an impact, but he argued that even if all their plans cannot be fully realised within this period, they must at least show that they are laying a strong foundation.

“At least they have four years. If they can’t do it all, they must demonstrate visibly that they are laying the foundation and they are on track. Nobody can build all the hospitals in Ghana in four years. It’s all possible, but we can see,” he stated.

A key factor, he pointed out, is transparency and honesty in governance.

“I have learnt throughout my career that if you are truthful with your followers, they will follow you because they trust you. The important thing is to tell them the truth. If it is good, say it’s good. If it is tough, say it is tough,” he advised.

However, he warned that leadership must be seen to be making sacrifices before expecting citizens to do the same.

“You must demonstrate that you don’t ask me to tighten my belt when you have your belt loosened twice,” he stated.

Dr. Yamson believes that leadership by example will be critical to the success of the government’s reset agenda.

“Living and leading by example are going to be very critical to this government, including the President himself, his Vice, and his Cabinet Ministers. Everybody must understand that when you say, ‘I’m going to reset,’ it means you are going to stop. You are going to do things very differently from what was being done before, and people will watch,” he cautioned.

For him, the country has reached a pivotal moment where words alone will no longer be enough.

The leadership must inspire confidence through action, demonstrating that they are committed to the change they promise.

Dr. Yamson’s message is clear: if Ghana is to reset and move forward, that transformation must start from the top.