Dr. Razak Kojo Opoku, the Founding President of the UP Tradition Institute, has issued a comprehensive and critical assessment of the John Mahama administration’s performance regarding the 2025 Budget, concluding that the government has substantially failed to deliver on its commitments. His analysis, released in September 2025, paints a picture of widespread inaction and unfulfilled promises across various sectors, from economic management to social programs and flagship initiatives. Dr. Opoku argues that nine months after the budget’s presentation to Parliament, a mere 28-30% of the outlined policies and programs have been implemented, leaving the vast majority unrealized.
Dr. Opoku’s critique focuses heavily on the government’s economic performance. He contends that the promised “resetting” of the Ghanaian economy has not materialized, citing persistent economic challenges as evidence. These include volatile exchange rates, escalating insecurity, the continued prevalence of illegal mining, and a significant accumulation of arrears owed to various entities. Among these are substantial debts to Independent Power Producers, the Electricity Company of Ghana, COCOBOD (Ghana Cocoa Board), and the Road Fund, totaling billions of Ghana Cedis and US dollars. These outstanding obligations, according to Dr. Opoku, underscore the government’s struggles to manage public finances and meet its financial commitments.
Beyond the economic front, Dr. Opoku also criticizes the lack of progress on core reforms promised under the “resetting” agenda. He points to the failure to rebuild public trust, a key objective outlined in the budget, and the lack of implementation of the much-touted 24-hour economy initiative. This, he argues, demonstrates a disconnect between the government’s rhetoric and its actions. Furthermore, Dr. Opoku emphasizes that the government has failed to meet its own macroeconomic targets for 2025, including goals for GDP growth, achieving a budget surplus, and maintaining adequate international reserves. This shortfall, he asserts, reflects a broader failure in economic planning and execution.
A significant portion of Dr. Opoku’s critique revolves around the lack of progress on flagship projects. He highlights the unfulfilled promise to abolish the COVID-19 levy, a measure intended to provide economic relief to citizens. Additionally, he notes the lack of advancement on the ambitious $10 billion Big Push infrastructure drive, a project central to the government’s development agenda. Other unfulfilled promises include the establishment of a Women’s Development Bank, intended to empower women economically, and the implementation of various employment and skills development programs like the Adwumawura programme, the National Apprenticeship Scheme, and the National Coders Programme. These unfulfilled promises, according to Dr. Opoku, represent missed opportunities for economic growth, social development, and job creation.
The critique extends to the agricultural sector, where Dr. Opoku points to the lack of progress on key interventions outlined under the Economic Transformation Agenda. This, he argues, has hampered efforts to boost agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of farmers. Furthermore, Dr. Opoku criticizes the government’s failure to deliver on its social program commitments. He highlights the unfulfilled promise to expand the LEAP program, a social safety net designed to support vulnerable households, and the failure to channel the promised 80% of development funds directly to District Assemblies, a measure intended to decentralize development and empower local communities.
In concluding his assessment, Dr. Opoku delivers a stark verdict on the Mahama administration’s performance, declaring that the government has demonstrably failed to implement its own agenda. He reiterates that only a small fraction of the promised policies and programs have been realized, emphasizing that his analysis likely understates the extent of the government’s shortcomings. He concludes that the administration lacks the commitment necessary to translate its stated intentions into concrete actions, leaving a significant gap between promises made and promises kept. This, he argues, represents a failure of governance and a betrayal of the public trust.
