Former President John Dramani Mahama has called out the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government describing it as a political scam of proportions. Mahama based his conclusions on the current economic headwinds the country is facing and wants Akufo-Addo and his vice to take responsibility.
Mahama was speaking at a conference organized for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and lawyers. He, therefore, stated that Ghanaians are looking up to the NDC to restore hope and turn the fortunes of our motherland around from the pitiable state in which we are.
Undeniably, things in things are very hard in the country. Every citizen or the majority of Ghanaians you come across and the streets are complaining bitterly about how bad the economy is now. Drivers dread going to the pump because it seems that crude products increase each passing time.
Market women also complain about how landlords and ladies are increasing their rent fees. Same market women also complain of how things have also become expensive when they go shopping for goods to come and sell. All these are passed down to the final consumer, which is the Ghanaian, who, after paying all taxes, is met with such an unfavourable situation.
The Akufo-Addo government has also left Ghana with a huge debt burden. As of March 2018, Ghana’s total public debt was $37.02 billion. This represents an increase of $7.46 billion from December 2016. The current government continues to borrow at an alarming rate, with the total debt stock increasing by more than 12.4% every year.
The IMF and World Bank have urged the government to reduce its reliance on external borrowing, as it leads to too much uncertainty for investors. Former President Mahama pointed out this some time ago on his Facebook page, that this reckless borrowing will lead to long-term economic difficulties for Ghanaians and cautioned Akufo-Addo then.
At the start of the year, the dollar rate was at GHS6.2194 but surprisingly it is now GHS 10.2 as of now that I am writing this article. This is killing businesses and importers who import goods and services into the country are feeling the pinch. A civil servant stated that from Accra to his Ada his hometown was GHS15 at the start of the year but it is now GHS30.
Drivers keep on increasing fares and blame it on the economy. Everyone is blaming the current economic situation on the president. It is indeed true things are very hard in the country now. Based on the promises that the Akufo-Addo government promised Ghanaians he has failed Ghanaians. This current administration is also blaming the COVID-19 pandemic and the unending Russia-Ukraine war for some of the woes of the country. Backlashing the president and his administrators is the former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama.
What we ask is, “Is he the Messiah Ghanaians are looking up to?”
What baffles me is that someone who emphatically told Ghanaians that he is a “Dead Goat” and he does not care whether we complain or not is now pointing fingers at someone. We understand that the country is hard but President John Dramani Mahama should not parade himself as the “Messiah” and use all sorts of political talks to win the hearts of Ghanaians. He has governed the country before and we all saw what he could do.
At the time that former President Kufuor was leaving office in January 2009, the dollar was GHS1.25 before President Mahama, both as vice and president, when he was leaving office, the dollar was around GHS4.4 which shows that it increased by almost 360%. Dumsor became a global anthem and around the world, everyone knew the crisis Ghana was facing at the time yet President Mahama kept on singing the ‘Dead Goat Anthem’. He further added more sorrow to our pain by saying that Ghanaians have a short memory.
If every Ghanaian is like me, both the NDC and NPP should be boycotted because, for the past 41 years of their rule, Ghana has still been on a slow development path. It seems that they all use words to win our trust, but when they gain power, they forget about the promises they made to the citizens. Our vote is our power as citizens, and we must exercise it wisely.
The highest throne of Ghana is not an experimental avenue where everyone can experiment with their leadership skills. Youth groups, stakeholders, and the general citizenry must chant for a change in our constitution where the law must make every politician accountable to the citizens. Ghana deserves better because it seems the politicians are enriching themselves with our taxes.
Adam Ibrahim
Adam is passionate about politics and issues that affect governance. As a writer, he channels his energies into writing on pertinent national and political issues for the good of the Ghanaian people.
Eii brother this drum you are beating is a very dangerous one oo. I love the fire in this article. Keep up the good work.
Since the hunter has learnt to shoot without aiming, the bird will also learn to fly without perching. Vawulence overload.
Your patronage is very much appreciated, Emmanuel.
People don’t want to talk about it. But the Ghana Ports and Harbour is no longer the authority responsible for the shipping and offloading of cargoes at the port. So when importing this private entity called MPS is responsible and it is a foreign company. They do not care about the woes of the ordinary Ghanaian. Don’t know why a president will lease such a huge deal to a foreign company at the detriment of workers and it citizens and is now pointing fingers at other governments because there are hardships. What was Mahama thinking when he made such a deal with MPS? Sad enough the deal is for almost 35 years and we’ve barely spent 6 years. What a shame as a country.
It’s a big problem we have here. It’s almost as if Ghanaians are being treated like fools because right under our noses, these things happen and every election year, you see the chunk of us also in queues going to vote. I don’t know what alternatives we have but I think that if we were to boycott these political processes and elections and so on our leaders may finally take us serious.
Anytime I hear Mahama lambasting Akufo-Addo then I get angry. Was he better when he was president? At least Nana Addo won’t come and insult us when we lambast him but for him Mahama he was always bad-mouthing Ghanaians. Hmm, politicians are almost the same. They forget their constituent and supporters immediately after they gain power.
I couldn’t agree more.