The National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has refuted claims by President John Dramani Mahama that the Akufo-Addo-led administration criminally mismanaged Ghana’s economy.
President Mahama accused the previous government of recklessness in handling the economy, leaving the country in ruins and passing on to him an economy in shambles.
Speaking to labour unions during discussions on the country’s base pay adjustment in Accra last Thursday, February 20, Mr. Mahama stressed the need for Ghanaians to acknowledge the dire economic situation and act accordingly.
“One thing that is a cardinal principle for us is to tell the truth at all times. We all knew the economy was in crisis, but some of the things I’m discovering myself — I mean, it’s been a criminal handling of our economy, and Ghana is a crime scene, actually. How a government could have been so reckless, I cannot understand,” the President said.
However, speaking on Good Morning Ghana, a program aired on Accra-based Metro TV, Richard Ahiagbah countered that the previous administration, rather left behind a more resilient and prosperous economy.
He argued that the NPP government successfully used the same economy to restore the teacher trainee allowance, establish STEM schools, and fund the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, which has benefited over three million students.
“The Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration did not ‘criminally mismanage’ the economy, despite President Mahama’s largely unfounded accusations. On the contrary, it worked tirelessly to build a more resilient and prosperous nation.
“If the economy was a ‘crime scene,’ how did the NPP manage to implement Free SHS, allowing millions of Ghanaian children to access education? How did we establish STEM schools and invest in educational infrastructure to equip the next generation with 21st-century skills?” Ahiagbah stated.
He further added, “Moreover, the NPP government reinstated the teacher trainee and nursing allowances that President Mahama’s administration had scrapped, ensuring that students in these essential fields received the support they needed to complete their education.”
