Former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Abena Osei Asare, has firmly rejected President John Dramani Mahama’s assertion that the economy was “criminally mishandled” under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
Speaking at the National Tripartite Committee meeting at the Ministry of Labour, Jobs, and Employment on February 20, President Mahama criticised the economic management of his predecessor’s government while announcing a 10% increase in base pay for public sector workers.
He reiterated his concerns during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of his second term, expressing shock at the state of the economy.
However, Madam Osei Asare dismissed these allegations, insisting that while Ghana had faced economic difficulties, claims of criminal mismanagement were baseless.
“Ghana’s economy was not ‘criminally handled,’ as the President suggests. Like many nations, we encountered challenges, but we took responsible measures to mitigate them. Signs of economic recovery were evident before the transition of power,” she stated.
She highlighted that real GDP growth averaged 6.3% in 2024 (Q1–Q3), with the industry sector leading at 10.4% growth, demonstrating economic resilience.
Backing her argument with key economic indicators, Osei Asare noted that Ghana recorded a positive primary balance of 0.4% as of November 2024, a significant improvement from the -1.4% primary balance in 2016.
She further emphasised that total revenue collection had surpassed its target by 3.3%, refuting claims of financial mismanagement.
While acknowledging that Ghana still faced economic challenges, she insisted that President Mahama’s portrayal of the economy was misleading.
“We are not out of the woods yet, but the narrative being pushed by the President is simply not accurate,” she asserted.
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