Media personality Nana Frimpong Ziega has warned that the government could face a significant political backlash if President John Mahama fails to fulfil his promise to construct a national theatre in Kumasi.

According to him, the project has become an important promise to the creative arts community in the Ashanti Region, particularly because President Mahama committed without being pressured to do so.

Speaking during a discussion on UTV’s United Showbiz on August 16, 2026, Nana Frimpong Ziega disclosed that the situation would have been different if the theatre project had already commenced under a previous administration and President Mahama was only expected to complete it.

“This wouldn’t be a problem if the project was already started and he was coming to continue. Where we are now, if President Mahama fails to complete the project, they will pay a political price, and it will be political suicide for the NDC,” he said.

He argued that the current government has made significant economic gains since assuming office, citing improvements in inflation and the exchange rate.

According to him, these achievements could be undermined politically if the government fails to deliver on a major promise to the creative industry.

“Everyone can testify that ever since this government came, if you check the microeconomic indicators, it’s different from the time we were about to vote,” he stated.

He noted that inflation stood at 21.7 percent before the 2024 election but has since dropped to 4.5 percent, while the dollar, which was trading around GH₵14.70, is now around GH₵11.70.

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“Before we voted, inflation was 21.7, but now inflation is 4.5. The dollar was also 14.7, but now it’s 11.7,” he disclosed.

Nana Frimpong Ziega argued that it would therefore be unfortunate if voters who acknowledge the government's economic performance became disappointed because of its failure to fulfil the Kumasi theatre promise.

“These juicy microeconomic indicators, it will be very painful that someone will decide to vote against President Mahama because he promised to build a theatre in the Ashanti Region and he didn’t fulfil it,” he shared.

He further explained that President Mahama voluntarily made the promise when representatives of the creative industry visited him at the Flagstaff House.

According to him, nobody forced the President to commit, making its fulfilment even more important.

“When the creatives visited him at Flagstaff House, no one pressured him to promise anything. He could have said something to win them because this is the first time he has been voted upon to elect him as the president. He was supposed to relax, but he said he would build a national theatre in Kumasi,” he shared.

Nana Frimpong Ziega also recalled that President Mahama mentioned a grant from a bank in Turkey as part of the financing arrangements surrounding the project.

“He added that we had a grant from a bank in Turkey. If this adds to all of this, it will be a problem,” he added.

Kumasi Theatre Project: If President Mahama fails to complete the project, the government could pay a political price - Nana Frimpong Zigah#UnitedShowbiz pic.twitter.com/tpJk5q9bJQ

— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) August 16, 2026