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As Ghanaians are grappling with the effects of the economic challenges, those
entrusted with the authority to address this problem are only concerned about
winning the next elections, they have completely abandoned any plans to
address the problems, yet they continue to draw salaries.
Those in authority lack the decency and decorum to think about the welfare
of the ordinary Ghanaians, they have jettisoned any effort towards addressing
the economy, they just want to win the next election but do what if they
win?
When Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was sworn into office at the forecourt
of the Black Star Square as the president of the republic on 7th January 2017, 1
United States Dollar (USD) was equal to GHC 4.1 and 1 Great Britain Pound
Sterling (GBP) was equal to GHC 5.90. The country’s Debt to Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) was 54 percent, the national debt stock had reached GHC 122.6
billion.
The year-on-year inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
was 15.4 percent in December 2016, down by 0.1 percentage point from the
15.5 percent was recorded in November 2016. The NPP while in opposition, condemned this and branded these indicators as ciphers of incompetence and ineptitude by the government of former president John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
They denigrated, vilified, maligned, and eviscerated former President John Mahama with all sorts of disparaging adjectives. They promised to better manage the economy with lower exchange rates, lower debt to GDP, lower inflation, and lower cost of living.
Eight years into the administration of President Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr.
Mahamudu Bawumia, USD1 is equal to GHC16 while 1GBP is equal to GHC20.55 (this is although, the government has suspended servicing its foreign debt, the situation would have been worse than it is now) inflation is 24 percent, and debt to GDP is 86% percent. The country’s debt stock is currently GHC 742 billion as of June 2024.
Moreover, a bag of cement was selling at GHC 20 in 2016 but GHC 110 today, a
a gallon of diesel was GHC 18 in 2016, today a litre is selling at GHC 16.60
therefore a gallon is GHC 61.42 (from GHC18 in 2016 to 61.42 in 2024) under
the current government who claimed to be competent. Unemployment rate
was 7 percent in 2016, today it stands at 15 percent.
In 2016, Transparency International released the Corruption Perception Index (CPI). The NDC’s worst performance was 43 which is better than the NPP’s best performance of 41. In view of the above economic indicators that evidently show that the NPP are the worst managers of the economy and the perfect description of incompetence, ordinarily, one would have expected the NPP to bow their heads down in shame and shut up or at least exert their energy towards addressing these challenges.
Yet, they have the impudence and impertinence to go around the country claiming to be the better managers of the economy, while asking to be allowed to break the eight-year cycle. How, what did we do to deserve this blatant disrespect and insults?
Despite the obvious failure and the country’s lack of direction, these same
people are shamelessly and disrespectfully shouting “breaking the eight”
instead of “fixing the mess”. If they had principles, integrity, and a scintilla of respect for Ghanaians, they would not even contest the 2024 elections after
this obvious abysmal performance.
Sincerely speaking, the obvious lack of remorse, regret, and admission of failure by the members of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government toward Ghanaians
after these glaring and unprecedented monumental economic mismanagement is appalling, disgusting, nauseating, and an insult to the wisdom of Ghanaians.
Inexcusably, the members of the government and their communicators have
shown clear disrespect to Ghanaians, they do not think we are intelligent, they
think Ghanaians are gullible and naive. The least Ghanaians deserve from the current government is an honest and candid apology. Each time the NPP communicators try to justify the current economic mess with the flimsiest excuse of COVID-19, it irritates every organ in my body, it is an insult to our intelligence, they should credit Ghanaians with some levels of intellect.
In actual fact, this government has benefited from COVID-19 and is still benefiting. The only government in the world that has introduced COVID-Levy is the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government. This is despite the fact that the government has received over USD3 billion from the IMF and the World Bank as COVID-19 relief funds.
I crave the indulgence of the government and its communicators to stop
talking because one dollar is GHC16, and one pound is GHC 20.55 for GOD’S fake.
Stop insulting our intelligence, stop adding insults to injury. Credit us with
some intelligence, show some remorse, and regrets, admit your failure, and
apologise. Most importantly, focus your energy towards solving the economic
problems, instead of on winning the next elections, because you are still at
post and drawing salaries from the national coffers.
