Billboards have surfaced in Ghana featuring a masked man calling for a new force in the nation ahead of the presidential election in 2024, Semafor reported.
The billboards have surfaced in major cities including Accra, Cape Coast, and Kumasi, according to Semafor. One design shows the masked man with other men behind him, calling for “a new Ghana” and “a new nation.” Another design of the billboard shows a masked man with the message “Leadership for the next generation #thenewforce.”
“We would like to inform the public that we will in the shortest possible time be unveiling the Mask,” The New Force organization said in a press release. They also plan to reveal their goals and policy objectives.
Giant billboards have sprung up across #Ghana publicising a masked man widely expected to run for president in next year’s election. Ghanaians are waiting for his identity to be revealed – https://t.co/dOx5W4uszu – by @Nana_oye and me for @SemaforAfrica #TheNewForce
— Alexis Akwagyiram (@alexisak) December 8, 2023
Ghana is set to hold a presidential election next year, according to Semafor. In the past, two major parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have competed for power in the nation. Ghana has five smaller parties that tend to collectively receive lower than 5% of the electoral vote count. (RELATED: Populist Javier Milei Wins Argentina’s Presidential Election)
“A third force will be difficult to emerge at this time to disrupt the NDC or NPP within the next 12 months,” Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, a professor and political analyst, told the outlet.
“Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.” – Barack Obama.
Hear the voices of the nation tell the story of change.#TheNewForce#TheManBehindTheMask#aNewNation#aNewGhana#BuildingTheNewNation pic.twitter.com/fuSIL8j6mO— TheNewForce (@thenewforcegh) November 10, 2023
Many are speculating the man behind the mask is businessman Nana Kwame Bediako, known as Cheddar.
“It is obvious it is Cheddar, the stature of the individual looks exactly like him,” Felix Frimpong, an Accra resident, told Semafor.
The research lead at Imani Centre for Policy in Accra, Bright Simmons, also believes Cheddar, the “maverick businessman,” is behind the mask, according to a Twitter post.
An issue expected to be addressed in the upcoming election is the economic crisis that forced the NPP government to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for an approximately $3 billion loan. The program “aims to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability and includes wide-ranging reforms to build resilience and lay the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth,” per the IMF.