Ghanaian musician Belinda Nana Ekua Amoah, known professionally as Mzbel, has identified the “Papa No” controversy from the 2020 election cycle as the primary reason she has been denied access and opportunities within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), despite her active role in the party’s 2024 campaign.
Speaking on Accra-based UTV’s United Showbiz, the singer said staying silent when her name became entangled in the viral trending topic was a decision she now deeply regrets.
“I was there when someone took my name and said Papa No, I was advised not to speak but today I realize that has been a bane to me. For me, I will advise every young person to speak up anytime such issues happen because if you keep quiet it may affect certain opportunities you’ll have in the future,” she said.
The “Papa No” tag emerged during a public feud between Mzbel and actress Tracey Boakye in 2020, amid widespread speculation linking the term to then-opposition leader John Dramani Mahama. The controversy is widely believed to have damaged the NDC’s 2020 electoral campaign momentum.
Mzbel, who led the Celebrities for Mahama group during the 2024 campaign season, said the residual effect of that episode has cost her the direct access to party leadership she once enjoyed, and she has since been overlooked for event performances and other opportunities.
On a separate but equally distressing matter, the singer flatly denied a circulating story claiming that fellow musician King Promise had an intimate encounter with her.
“I woke up and saw the news card that King Promise has sucked my breast. I was shocked because I have never met King Promise in my life. These things have been done to me over the years and has hurt my reputation,” she said, visibly emotional.
She added that false stories of this nature damage relationships with fellow artists who have no involvement in them.
Mzbel has been increasingly vocal in recent months about feeling sidelined by the NDC since the party returned to power following the 2024 general election. NewsGhana reported in November 2025 that she had complained about senior party figures no longer taking her calls and her inability to secure even catering or performance bookings from the administration.
