Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko
A leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has responded to the recent comments of former President John Mahama on the current state of the country’s economy.
According to him, John Mahama’s gross failure as a President virtually bars him from criticising his successor on his management of the economy
Taking on the former President on his Twitter page, the NPP strategist likened Mr Mahama’s criticisms of the Akufo-Addo government to a stutterer complaining about how musician Sarkodie raps in his music.
“Listening to John Mahama preach on the economy is like hearing a stammerer (apologies to stammerers), not only boldly criticising @sarkodie’s rap, but trying to convince music lovers that @sarkodie must learn how to verbalise from him, the stutterer,” he twittered.
Mr Otchere-Darko believes that since John Mahama failed to solve the country’s economic crisis whilst in power from 2012 to 2016, he does not have a strong moral ground to stand on to criticise the NPP administration, which has a record of acclaimed performance, even in the face of COVID19 global pressures.
Mahama’s article
In an article released on Monday, the 2020 presidential candidate for the NDC claimed “the reckless election-related expenditure in 2020” is the reason for the catastrophic state of the country’s economy.
Mr Mahama added that the government needs to “create a platform for urgent and constructive dialogue among stakeholders with the view to fashioning out a robust set of policy responses to the economic challenges before we get to the point of no return.”
He also claimed that there is no dispute that the economy is in a deep crisis. This, he insisted, is due to the huge budget deficit, unsustainable public debt, rising inflation, rapidly depreciating currency, ever rising cost of living and loss of confidence by both domestic and international investor communities. Mr Mahama lamented the severe effects of the economy on Ghanaians. These he said have taken a toll on Ghanaians, especially those within vulnerable groups.
The statement also claimed that President Akufo-Addo and the Head of the Economic Management Team had remained indifferent to the plight of ordinary Ghanaians in the face of this serious crisis.
“It is obvious that beyond the ill-conceived E- Levy, the Akufo-Addo administration has no viable or credible plan of action to get the country out of the current economic despair into which they have plunged the country”. He said there can be collective buy-ins from the Ghanaians, development partners and the investor community that are being ignored,” Mahama stated.
According to Mahama, the country does not have Post-Covid19 Economic Recovery Plan that would lay down a firm blueprint for fiscal consolidation in the face of a worsening economic situation.
“It is a pity that the NPP’s entire economic plan hinges on the passage of the E-levy expected to raise a little over six billion Ghana cedis,” he said.
In all of that, however, the NDC former flagbearer and 2024 hopeful failed to cite records and authorities to substantiate his claims, though he is on record as the most incompetent President as far as economic management is concerned.
After a sterling performance from his predecessor, who had also picked an impressive growth baton from JA Kufuor, John Mahama drove Ghana to an IMF programme. That was after his government had brought industry, the energy sector, agriculture and banking on their knees.
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