You can’t force your ‘non-factual’ version of SONA on Ghanaians - Omane Boamah

A former Minister of Communications during the erstwhile administration has insisted that the President presented a 'non-factual' state of the nation address.

According to him, the basis on which the president made some of his conclusions were only known to NPP and not what is recognised by the appropriate institutions.

Citing some achievements of the NDC governments, Dr Omane Boamah attempted to refute the impression created by the president and the NPP that the NDC left the economy in a terrible state.

“If you look at even GDP and you aggregate from 2009-2015 and I will stop at 2015 because as we speak now the actual GDP figure for 2016 is not out. The average 2009-2015, the NDC government stands at 6.8% if you take the NPP government from 2001 and 2008, theirs is 5.8% and we have said this over and over again. Electricity coverage; we moved it significantly to above 80%, water coverage, same significantly to above 80% in terms of water coverage from independence to 2009 both rural and urban were hovering about the 50%s. we take Inflation; just in January it was hovering around 13% there about, at the time NPP was leaving office it was 18%. So clearly the NPP led by Akufo-Addo cannot force their version of what the State of the Nation is on Ghanaians”

President Akufo-Addo presented his maiden State of Nation Address on the floor of parliament on Tuesday 21st February 2017.

According to the president, Ghana’s debt stock has risen from 9.5billion Cedis in 2008 to 122billion Cedis in 2016 representing 74% of GDP. He added that our GDP is estimated at 3.6%, the lowest in 23years resulting in no fiscal space and over reliance on borrowing to do everything.

The president pledged to implement tough, prudent and innovative policies to rescue the economy.

He also emphasised his government’s commitment to fix the ‘broken’ economy as he was elected to work for the country and not to complain about its state.

The minority and NDC as a party have challenged the president on some of the claims he made on the economy as not being a fair representation of reality.