We left Behind a Healthy Economy- Mighty Minority Critiques Prez Mahama’s SONA
The Minority caucus in Parliament has issued a sharp rebuttal to President John Mahama’s recent State of the Nation Address, presenting their assessment of Ghana’s economic condition and highlighting what they describe as the government’s failure to manage critical sectors effectively.
At a press conference held on Monday, March 3, 2025, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, former Finance Minister and Member of Parliament for Karaga, provided a stark critique of the government’s economic performance. He discussed several key areas, including energy supply, employment, infrastructure development, and government spending.
Erratic Power Supply and Impact on Economic Growth
Dr. Adam emphasized the country’s ongoing power supply issues, describing the erratic electricity situation as a major challenge for businesses and the broader economy. He called on the government to release a load-shedding timetable to help businesses plan ahead and mitigate further financial losses resulting from power outages.
Petroleum Sector and Oil Discoveries
Turning to the petroleum sector, Dr. Adam criticized the Mahama administration for signing contracts with 13 companies that lacked the necessary technical and financial capacity for successful oil exploration. However, he acknowledged that under President Akufo-Addo’s administration, significant progress had been made, with discoveries such as Pecan South-East and Nyankom-1X, among others. The former Finance Minister also highlighted the increase in production from the Jubilee Field, noting that in 2023, the addition of 30,000 barrels per day marked a significant boost to oil output.
Government Spending and Economic Challenges
Dr. Adam expressed concerns over the weak economic growth prospects for 2025, attributing the sluggish performance to mismanagement of public finances. Despite a GHS68 billion budget for the first quarter of 2025, Dr. Adam pointed out that many government projects had stalled due to unpaid contractors, leading to job losses and further economic strain, particularly among young Ghanaians.
Job Losses and Employment Crisis
The former Finance Minister also took aim at the Mahama administration’s employment policies, accusing the NDC of deliberately orchestrating job cuts to create vacancies for political allies. He referred to President Mahama as “Terminator 1,” citing the thousands of young Ghanaians who had been dismissed from their jobs, exacerbating the country’s unemployment crisis. Dr. Adam warned that such actions would only worsen the employment situation.
Challenges in the Fight against Galamsey
Dr. Adam also addressed the ongoing challenge of illegal mining, or galamsey. He criticized both past and current administrations for their inability to effectively tackle the issue, despite numerous campaigns. Recent reports of illegal mining activities by NDC figures in the Ashanti region raised alarm, with Dr. Adam questioning why illegal miners were operating with apparent impunity and damaging Ghana’s forest reserves.
Infrastructure Development and Housing Projects
The former Finance Minister also spotlighted the housing achievements of the previous administration, which included the completion of stalled projects inherited in 2017, such as the Asokore Mampong housing project and the Adenta SHC estates. Dr. Adam emphasized the importance of continuing these initiatives, criticizing the current government for redirecting funding meant for infrastructure projects towards other ventures.
Road Sector Achievements and Misrepresentation
Dr. Adam defended the NPP’s achievements in road infrastructure, citing the completion of over 13,000 kilometers of roads from 2017 to 2024, far surpassing the achievements of the previous administration. He dismissed claims by the NDC that these figures were misleading, explaining that the works included new construction, rehabilitation, and upgrades of existing roads. He also highlighted the completion of nine interchanges under the Akufo-Addo administration, compared to just five during the Mahama administration. Citing a World Bank report, Dr. Adam noted that Ghana’s road density and rural accessibility exceeded regional averages, underscoring the significant progress made in infrastructure development.
Education and TVET Sector Transformation
Dr. Adam also discussed the state of education, particularly in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). While commending the government’s commitment to continue the Free Senior High School (FSHS) program, he pointed out that many of the initiatives President Mahama outlined were already being successfully implemented under the previous administration. He emphasized the NPP’s reforms in the TVET sector, including the establishment of the Commission for TVET (CTVET), the introduction of Free TVET, and the construction of new centers of excellence.
Dr. Adam argued that the groundwork laid by the NPP was essential for the sector’s transformation and should not be overlooked. He stressed the importance of consolidating these gains rather than presenting an inaccurate narrative that ignored the progress already made.
Call for Economic Strategy Shift
The Minority urged the government to rethink its economic strategy and address the critical challenges facing Ghana, including the ongoing energy crisis, high unemployment, and stalled infrastructure projects. He emphasized that while the NDC sought to undermine the achievements of the previous administration, the NPP’s policies had had a tangible and positive impact on various sectors of the economy.
The press conference served as a stark reminder of the challenges facing Ghana under the current administration and the need for a more effective and coherent approach to secure the nation’s economic future.
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