President John Dramani Mahama has recounted how he and his family became homeless after losing the 2016 general elections.
According to President Mahama, after the election defeat, he and his wife faced difficulties in securing accommodation.
Mahama stressed that the period of homelessness he experienced during difficult times shows that in times of hardship do not necessarily mean one has been abandoned by God.
President Mahama recounted that after the 2016 defeat, the arrangement was that the state would provide an accommodation as a former president, but they were left without a place to stay.
He revealed that they had built a house, but could not host any head of state in that house, and the house was also rented to some Chinese, and they could not evict them.
President Mahama further added that they attempted to rent several properties around Accra, in areas near Kawkudi and Airport Hills, but repeatedly faced negative responses.
He stressed that in some instances, landlords reportedly withdrew offers after realizing the prospective tenant was the former president who had just lost an election.
Speaking during a community engagement at Chain Homes, where he now lives with his family, President Mahama shared the personal account, “We lost the elections. We thought the world had come to an end, and the agreement was that, as the former president, the state would provide accommodation for you.
“We were a young couple, we had built a house, but it was a small old house. You couldn’t host any head of state in that house.
“And besides, we had rented it out. So, there were some Chinese living in it, and then we lost the election. You couldn’t go and tell them to get out of your house, and then you come and stay there.
“So, we were homeless, and I said, OK, Lodina, no problem. Let’s find somewhere and rent. So, we got a place near Kawukudi, the gold house, there somewhere, and they agreed, went and looked at it,” he said.
He continued, “It was OK, not anything imposing, but it was livable and considering that we were homeless, we were prepared to take anything, and so we went there. Lordina went there, I didn’t go there, and she went and negotiated everything and all that.
“They said, yeah, the house is available. So, Lordina said, well, John, come, let me show you where we’ve got. So, I went there.
“So, for the first time, they realised that, ah, it’s the former president who just lost the election who is coming to stay here. Oh, the next day, they said, eh, you see it’s a company accommodation. One of our general managers is coming from abroad. And actually, he’s coming to live there. “
Also, President John Dramani Mahama refuted the allegation and fabrication that has been circulated that he owns the Chain Homes Ghana Estate.
According to President Mahama, residents of Chain Homes Ghana Estate have been told the fairy story that he owns the Estate.
President Mahama revealed that they first occupied a rented property, which belonged to a private individual who handed it to Chain Homes to manage.
He added, “And so, while we roamed and we’re looking for a place to rent and we didn’t get, finally they said oh There’s a place at Chain Homes. There’s Chain Homes, so go and check there. So, when we came round It was my daughter.
“And somebody had built his house in the corner there and given it to Chain Homes and asked them to rent it. So, he said oh, there’s this property in the corner there. See if you like it, and so Lordina went and said oh look, we have no choice anyway, so it’s not about whether we like it, we’ll take it. And so that’s how we came to this neighbourhood, “he said.
President Mahama further added that he already knew several residents in the estate, including some former colleagues and schoolmates, at the Chain Homes Ghana Estate.
He recollected how some residents subsequently encouraged him and his family to make the estate their permanent home, adding that they were granted a plot of land to build a house at the centre.
He further sarcastically added, “They very graciously granted us that land, at the centre, and so we are part of this neighbourhood indeed; they believe the estate belongs to me. So, all of you who bought these houses bought them illegally because you should have paid the money to me, they said this is Mahama’s estate”.
“If you paid your money to Addai and Co., please ask for a refund and bring my money”, Mahama added.
President Mahama further urged residents not to be intimidated by the military security presence.
“Don’t be intimidated by the soldiers, we are neighbours anytime you think there is any issue… we have not been very good neighbours, because of the responsibility of the state, there is hardly a weekend that I am here, the times that we are available, you can always come over”.
Watch the video below:
Mahama tells his story about how he became homeless after losing the 2016 election. pic.twitter.com/NlvDC1by8X
— Ghana Chronicles (@_GhChronicles) December 23, 2025