The National Democratic Congress (NDC) spokesperson for Youth Development, Dr. Sammy Ayeh Ofori, has criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for failing to learn from their mistakes after the recent elections.
Dr. Ayeh’s remarks were in response to a statement by the Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, who claimed that the NPP had left behind a resilient economy.
During a panel discussion on TV3, Dr Ayeh argued that such claims demonstrate a consistent pattern of disrespect towards Ghanaians.
In his analysis, Dr. Ayeh highlighted the state of Ghana’s economy before the COVID-19 pandemic, using World Bank reports and key economic indicators as evidence.
“Even before COVID hit, the World Bank had already indicated that Ghana’s economy was in shambles,” Dr. Ayeh stated. He cited several key metrics to support his claim:
- Ghana’s deficit was 7.5% before COVID-19, compared to the 6.5% the NPP inherited from the NDC in 2016.
- The country’s debt-to-GDP ratio rose to 70% under the NPP, up from 56% during the NDC administration.
- The Ghana cedi depreciated to GHS 14 before COVID, significantly worse than the 9% depreciation recorded in 2016.
- National debt skyrocketed from GHS 12 billion to GHS 225 billion before the pandemic.
Dr. Ayeh questioned the Finance Minister’s assertions: “How can you look us in the face and claim the economy was better before COVID? Is a 70% debt-to-GDP ratio better than 56%? Is GHS 225 billion in debt better than GHS 12 billion? No!”
He concluded by emphasizing that the NPP’s narrative does not align with the realities faced by Ghanaians and urged them to take responsibility for their governance shortcomings.
