The minority party, NPP, paints a bleak picture of the nation’s current state under the newly elected NDC government led by President Mahama. They highlight a resurgence of “dumsor,” the persistent power outages that plagued Ghana under Mahama’s previous administration, criticizing the government’s explanations as inadequate and highlighting the detrimental impact on businesses, healthcare facilities, and daily life. The NPP accuses President Mahama of reversing the progress made by the previous NPP government under President Akufo-Addo, who they credit with eradicating dumsor and maintaining stable electricity supply despite global crises. The NPP demands transparency regarding the reasons behind the power cuts and calls for a published load-shedding timetable to mitigate disruptions. They also express concern about impending electricity tariff increases amidst the unreliable power supply, contrasting the NPP’s record of minimal tariff increases with the significant hikes imposed during Mahama’s previous tenure.
The NPP’s critique extends to the current government’s handling of employment, accusing President Mahama of terminating the appointments of thousands of young Ghanaians who were recruited by the previous administration for positions in nursing, teaching, and security agencies. This, they argue, contradicts Mahama’s campaign promises to address youth unemployment and has caused widespread disillusionment and anger among affected individuals and their families. The NPP commends organizations like the Ghana Registered Nurses Association, the Ghana National Association of Teachers, and the Trades Union Congress for criticizing these terminations. They also raise concerns about the government’s management of public sector wages, questioning their decision to implement a lower base pay increase despite inflation remaining similar to the previous year when a larger increase was granted.
Further amplifying their criticism, the NPP points to the government’s “sweeping” of accounts from public agencies, including senior high schools, which they claim has brought operations to a standstill. They question the rationale behind this action, given the significant revenues generated in recent months, including domestic tax revenue, funds left over from the previous administration, and substantial borrowing through T-Bills. The NPP demands an explanation for the alleged lack of payments to contractors despite the available funds. They also criticize what they perceive as political interference in the Ministry of Finance, particularly President Mahama’s alleged involvement in investor-related communication, arguing that this undermines confidence and transparency.
Addressing the recent payment of coupons to domestic bondholders, the NPP acknowledges the government’s fulfillment of its obligations but emphasizes that this action is not unprecedented, as the previous NPP government consistently made coupon payments without default. They provide a detailed breakdown of the payments made under the previous administration, including both Payment-In-Cash (PIC) and Payment-In-Kind (PIK) components, asserting their commitment to upholding investor confidence. The NPP further notes that payments to Eurobond holders have also been honored, challenging the narrative that the country was in a dire financial state when the NDC took over.
Beyond economic matters, the NPP condemns the post-election violence that occurred under President Mahama’s watch, expressing concern about the precedent it sets for future elections and its potential to reignite conflicts within the country. They criticize the lack of condemnation and control of the violence by the current government, attributing it to their belief that the violence was directed against the opposition NPP. The NPP also raises concerns about the deteriorating security situation in the country, citing incidents in various locations as evidence of a worrying trend. They urge President Mahama to address these security challenges promptly to prevent further escalation.
Finally, the NPP presents a contrasting view of the economy inherited by President Mahama, arguing that it was significantly stronger than portrayed. They cite data on GDP growth, industry growth, budget deficit, cedi depreciation, trade and current account balances, and international reserves to support their claim. The NPP emphasizes the robust recovery experienced in 2024 and contrasts it with the economic situation left behind by Mahama’s previous administration in 2016. They highlight the NPP’s achievements in areas such as teacher salaries, teacher trainee allowances, import duty waivers for medical professionals, educational resources, access to cooking gas, and fuel availability, concluding that the NDC government has inherited a stable and improved economic foundation and warning against reversing the progress made.
