Mahama Blames Akufo-Addo, “Untouchable” Ofori Atta For Economic Crisis

Former President John Dramani Mahama has blamed President Akufo-Addo, “untouchable” Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta and the Economic Management Team (EMT) for Ghana’s economic woes.

According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have no hand in the country’s economic crisis as reiterated on several occasions by the Akufo-Addo-led government.

Rather, Mr Mahama said unacceptably high public debt occasioned by a reckless borrowing binge, and an exceptionally large budget deficit, arising out of over-expenditure is the cause of the economic crisis.

This, he holds, could have been avoided if not for the actions and inactions of the President, his cousin the Finance Minister and the EMT.

He asserts that the “untouchable” finance Minister neglects the advice of experts at the Finance Ministry and takes decisions for the country based on advice from his financial service company, Databank.

Secondly, he blamed the Economic Management Team which is headed by vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.

“We are in this mess because a so-called “solid economic management team” over the last few years, has been unable to call the President’s cousin to order when he embarked on a reckless borrowing spree, indiscriminate closure of indigenous banks and financial institutions, and creative presentation of economic statistics to make our situation look rosier than the reality.”

Next on the line was the President.

He blamed him for being irresponsible.

“We are in this mess because we have a President who fails to take responsibility and has instead left the nation on autopilot in the hands of bungling ministers who he describes as “excellent”. Last December the President is on record as having said the present economic mess is not his fault.

“For emphasis, the biggest blame for the current tragic situation with our economy lies with the very people charged with managing the country—not with the pandemic, not with the war— our country has been unprofessionally, and Ghana has been treated like an experimental playground and a family heirloom.”

According to the 2020 flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), this can be dealt with when the President replaces the Finance Minister, reconstitutes the EMT and takes control of the Team.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini