The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ghana’s Parliament has sharply criticized President John Dramani Mahama’s assertion of inheriting a “criminally mismanaged” economy, particularly in light of his administration’s lower wage adjustment for public sector workers. The NPP contends that the previous administration, despite facing economic headwinds, implemented a 25% wage increase in 2024, significantly higher than the 10% adjustment offered by Mahama in 2025. This discrepancy, according to the NPP, undermines the President’s narrative of economic mismanagement under the prior government. The NPP’s argument centers on the premise that a supposedly mismanaged economy delivered a more substantial wage increase than the supposedly “reset” economy under Mahama.
Leading the charge for the NPP, Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, Stephen Amoah, emphasized the economic progress made in 2024. He pointed to a real GDP growth exceeding 6%, attributing it to increased productivity and the 25% wage increase for public sector workers. This growth, according to Amoah, was achieved despite the country operating under an IMF program and implementing austerity measures. He highlighted the previous government’s commitment to worker welfare by detailing the two-phased wage increase in 2024: a 23% increase from January to June, followed by an additional 2% increase from July to December, totaling a 25% increase. This, he argued, demonstrated a prioritization of workers’ well-being despite a 23.8% inflation rate.
Amoah’s argument hinges on the incongruity between President Mahama’s claim of inheriting a severely mismanaged economy and the previous administration’s ability to grant a substantial wage increase. He questioned the rationale behind the current administration’s decision to reduce the wage adjustment to a mere 10% under similar inflationary conditions. The NPP’s contention is that if the previous administration, operating under a purportedly mismanaged economy and subject to IMF restrictions, could afford a 25% wage increase, the current administration’s justification for a significantly lower increase under a supposedly improved economic environment lacks credibility.
The NPP’s critique essentially challenges the narrative presented by President Mahama. They argue that the economic indicators from 2024, including GDP growth and the substantial wage increase, contradict the claim of a “criminally mismanaged” economy. By highlighting the previous government’s achievements despite the prevailing economic challenges, the NPP seeks to portray the current administration’s economic policies as inadequate and potentially detrimental to public sector workers. The 10% wage adjustment, in their view, represents a regression in worker welfare, especially considering the persistent inflationary pressures.
The core of the NPP’s argument rests on the comparison between the two wage adjustments: 25% in 2024 under the previous administration versus 10% in 2025 under the current administration. This comparison serves as the foundation for their challenge to President Mahama’s narrative. They posit that if a “criminally mismanaged” economy could afford a 25% wage increase, then a “reset” economy should be capable of offering a comparable or even greater increase. The NPP’s critique implicitly suggests that the current administration’s economic policies are failing to translate into tangible benefits for public sector workers.
In essence, the NPP’s argument seeks to expose what they perceive as a contradiction in President Mahama’s portrayal of the economy. They use the tangible evidence of the 2024 wage increase as a counterpoint to the claim of a “criminally mismanaged” economy. By highlighting the economic progress achieved under the previous administration, despite the challenges, the NPP aims to cast doubt on the current administration’s economic strategy and its impact on public sector workers. The lower wage adjustment in 2025, according to the NPP, serves as a testament to the inadequacy of the current economic policies.
