The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has staunchly defended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s handling of the economy, asserting that his administration achieved significant progress despite encountering unprecedented external challenges.
In an interview on Point Blank, a segment of Eyewitness News, Ahiagbah attributed Ghana’s economic downturn during Akufo-Addo’s presidency to global and local shocks but maintained that the government managed to steer the country towards recovery. He stressed that, under normal circumstances, the economy would have been in a much stronger position.
“The task given to Akufo-Addo to manage the economy, he didn’t do bad at all. Take away all the shocks that we had, which are real shocks, and this economy would have been in a much better place than we are ending up with,” Ahiagbah argued.
Pointing to recent economic indicators, he noted a 7% growth in the first three quarters of 2024, describing it as evidence of a robust rebound. “This then indicates to you that when you get to 2025, you have that momentum going forward, which will drive growth. That must be noted,” he added.
Ahiagbah also dismissed allegations that the NPP sidestepped discussions on economic issues during campaign periods. “Yes, the economy went down, but the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration brought it back. So, it is never true that during the campaign, we run away from the conversation about the economy,” he remarked.
The comments come amid ongoing debates about the state of Ghana’s economy as Akufo-Addo’s tenure nears its end, with critics and political opponents scrutinising his administration’s legacy.