Obiri Boahen Criticizes Mahama’s Free Sanitary Pad Initiative, Calls for More Impactful Reforms
Private legal practitioner and politician, Nana Obiri Boahen has publicly criticized President John Dramani Mahama’s Free Sanitary Pad Initiative questioning its relevance and significance in the broader context of national development.
Speaking during an interview on Original TV on May 9, 2025, Mr. Boahen described the initiative as a trivial gesture, arguing that it falls short of addressing Ghana’s deeper systemic challenges. The sanitary pad distribution policy, launched by President Mahama on April 24, 2025, seeks to provide free sanitary pads to female students in basic and secondary schools across the country to promote menstrual hygiene and reduce absenteeism among adolescent girls.
While acknowledging that President Mahama had made some commendable efforts, Mr. Boahen gave the former president a low performance score of 36%, expressing disappointment that such an initiative is being promoted as a major achievement.
“In Burkina Faso, this young general has made tertiary education free, but we are in Ghana, and for the 120-day social contract, we are launching sanitary pads,” Obiri Boahen stated. “Back in the day, sanitary pads were not even items men should see and now it’s being touted as a major intervention?
He further cited Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, as an example of bold leadership, praising him for making tertiary education free in his country to enhance access and affordability for students from all backgrounds.
Mr. Boahen argued that Ghana should be focusing on similar impactful educational reforms rather than distributing sanitary products, suggesting that government resources should be channeled into expanding access to higher education, improving teacher conditions, and equipping schools with better infrastructure.
However, supporters of the Free Sanitary Pad Initiative have lauded the policy as a necessary intervention to address menstrual poverty, which is a key barrier to girls’ education in many parts of Ghana. They argue that ensuring girls do not miss school due to lack of menstrual products is essential to achieving gender parity in education.
The Free Sanitary Pad Initiative is part of President Mahama’s 120-day social contract aimed at addressing pressing social issues and promoting equity in education and health. The initiative is expected to benefit thousands of female students nationwide.
As public debate continues, the contrasting opinions highlight the broader question of what constitutes meaningful progress and the types of policies that best serve the needs of Ghanaian citizens.