Richard Ahiagbah, Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has rejected President John Dramani Mahama’s claim that the previous NPP government “criminally handled” Ghana’s economy.
Ahiagbah’s response follows Mahama’s comments during a meeting with organized labor, where the president criticized the NPP’s economic management, describing it as irresponsible.
While acknowledging the economic challenges Ghana faced under the NPP, Ahiagbah attributed these difficulties to external factors, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. He defended the NPP’s implementation of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), describing it as a tough but necessary decision. “We certainly endured some hard times, especially the difficult but necessary DDEP, owing to the difficulties we faced battling COVID-19 and its aftermath,” Ahiagbah stated. “We lost many Ghanaians during this time, but not because we mismanaged the economy.”
Ahiagbah expressed confidence that Ghanaians would eventually recognize the NPP’s efforts and the impact of its policies. He argued that the NPP, under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had laid a solid foundation for economic recovery. “The NPP under Akufo-Addo did better, and the Ghanaian people will appreciate our work with time,” he said. “Ghanaians will soon see the difference between talkers and doers.”
The NPP’s defense of its economic record comes amid ongoing political debates over which party is better equipped to manage Ghana’s economy. While the NDC has consistently criticized the NPP’s handling of economic issues, the NPP maintains that its policies were necessary to address unprecedented global challenges. As Ghana continues its path to recovery, the NPP’s message seeks to remind Ghanaians of its track record and position itself as a party of action, in contrast to what it views as the NDC’s tendency to criticize without offering solutions.
With the next election cycle approaching, Ahiagbah’s remarks signal the NPP’s intent to reframe the narrative around its economic performance and challenge the criticisms leveled by its opponents. The debate over economic governance remains a key issue in Ghana’s political landscape, with both parties vying for public trust and support.
