SoNA: Ghana’s hardship self-inflicted; people are in excruciating pain – Ato Forson

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson says Ghanaians are going through pains as a result of the economic hardships inflicted on the people by President Akufo-Addo’s administration.

According to him, the current economic hardship is self-inflicted which he blamed on President Akufo-Addo.

“There is still a wide spread of despair and disenchantment among our people. Millions of Ghanaians are going through unbearable hardship and excruciating pains.

"Our economy is at its worst shape in decades, in fact Ghana’s economy is bankrupt or insolvent. We are currently unable to repay our debts, Ghana has officially defaulted in the repayment of our debt since January 2022.

“Mr. Speaker, yet Mr. President your government is failing to cut the size of government down and public expenditure,” Mr. Forson stated on the floor of Parliament in response to President Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation Address on March 8, 2023.

The Minority leader further stated that the nation is facing high inflation because the President has allowed the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to print 50 billion Ghana cedis.

“Mr. President, our economy is in tatters largely because it is self-inflicted. Your government inflicted it on us and failed to act. Mr. President this is your scorecard and this is the true state of our nation,” he added.

Background

President Nana Akufo-Addo has vehemently rejected claims that his government’s reckless borrowing and spending is to be blame for the country’s current debt situation.

According to the President, it is worth noting that the debts the country is servicing were not only contracted during the period of his administration.

“Mr Speaker, we have spent money on things that are urgent, to build roads and bridges and schools, to train our young people and equip them to face a competitive world.

"Considering the amount of work that still needs to be done on the state of our roads, the bridges that have to be built, considering the number of classrooms that need to be built, the furniture and equipment needs at all stages of education, considering the number of children who should be in school and are not, considering the number of towns and villages that still do not have access to potable water, I daresay no one can suggest we have over borrowed or spent recklessly,” the President said in his Address on the State of the Nation on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday March 8, 2023.