Former President John Mahama has taunted President Nana Addo, noting that the President is running away from responsibility. He thus, asked him to stop shifting blames.

The flag bearer aspirant of the National Democratic Congress who was speaking to branch and constituency executives of the party at Jema in the Kintampo South Constituency, stressed that the president is always looking for a scapegoat rather than taking responsibility for his “recklessness”.

“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is always blaming other things except himself for Ghana’s economic crisis. In his state of the nation address to parliament on Wednesday, 8th March 2023, the President, for the umpteenth time, blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war for Ghana’s economic woes.”
President John Mahama

John Mahama noted that it is high time Mr Akufo-Addo acted as a true leader.

“The first principle of leadership is responsibility. You must take responsibility for every situation and work to solve it. If you are a leader who is always looking for somebody to blame, you will never be able to solve problems. What is more reckless than what he and his finance minister have done.”
President John Mahama

Even World Bank Warns

The former President recalled that contrary to what Nana Addo said, even the World Bank warned the government about its reckless borrowing but was ignored.

“Even the World Bank told them that you are risking going into debt distress because of too much debt, and they refused to listen. Today, exactly what they were warned against is what has happened. And you will not take responsibility?”
President John Mahama

The President, at the State of Nation address this week, once again, blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war for the troubles of the Ghanaian economy.

President Akufo-Addo insisted his government was steering the nation to prosperity before the twin global crises, stressing “We have not been reckless in borrowing and spending.”

According to the President, he believes in his performance as evidenced in the results of the 2020 presidential election, which were unanimously endorsed and upheld by the seven-member panel of the Supreme Court.

“I have said, and many others, including the Managing Director of the IMF, have said that our economy was doing well until COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine took us off course,” the President said.

“…Maybe because it suits their preconceived agenda, some people are unwilling to accept that we were on a good trajectory until the arrival of COVID-19.”
President Akufo-Addo

While commenting on the current debt situation in the country, President Akufo-Addo stated that his government has not been reckless in borrowing and in spending. He emphasized that the debt government is currently servicing was not only contracted during the period of the current administration.

President Nana Addo further blamed John Mahama for the current economic happenings, noting that the John Mahama left behind a hopeless and tattered economy.

With the two political giants trading licks, and with sharply opposing views on the economy, it is up to the good and discerning people of Ghana to judge for themselves the main causes of the current economy mess the country finds itself – High cost of living, high inflation, weakening cedi, among others.