President John Dramani Mahama’s handling of questions at his recent meet-the-press has been described as calm, composed, and confident by Associate Professor of Political Communication at the University of Media Arts and Communication (UNIMAC-IJ), Dr. Etse Sikanku.
Dr. Sikanku told Moro Awudu on Inside Pages on Metro TV on Saturday, September 13, 2025, that the president came across as a leader in control of the issues, even if some of his answers fell short of expectations.
“You want to appear that you’re in charge of the country, that you are competent and controlling the narrative,” Dr. Sikanku said.
“By and large, the president managed to do that. He didn’t have a terrible moment. He was very calm and even used humor at a particular time to answer some of the questions,” he noted.
The political communication lecturer noted that Mahama’s composure and relaxed temperament made him relatable to the public.
“This is the John Mahama that we are used to,” he said.
“He was not ruffled. He was not angry. In fact, he seemed very relaxed.”
However, Dr. Sikanku said some of Mahama’s responses could have been more detailed, particularly on critical issues like illegal mining (galamsey) and constitutional matters raised by journalists.
“There were concerns in terms of some of his responses being lacking,” he said.
“For instance, the galamsey question and the issue about whether he is a ‘Supreme Leader.’ Yes, he answered it nicely but he could have gone further to assure us because it is a complex issue with the propensity for abuse being very high.”
Dr. Sikanku argued that such moments offered the president an opportunity to provide clearer assurances to the public.
“On the question about the Chief Justice and the constitutional implications, he could have gone further in reassuring Ghanaians and addressing very specific issues,” he added.
According to him, while the president’s demeanor was a positive sign for Ghana’s democracy, future meet-the-press sessions should encourage more detailed responses on substantive issues.
“You came out of the event feeling good about our democracy,” Dr. Sikanku said.
“But at the same time, in terms of substance there were some expectations to go into more detail.”
