Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, has expressed deep disappointment with President John Dramani Mahama‘s recent address to Parliament.
In a statement that resonated with many citizens, Oppong Nkrumah questioned the president’s failure to present concrete, actionable policy directions during his speech.
Oppong Nkrumah pointed out that Ghanaians had expected to hear clear and effective plans to address the ongoing economic difficulties facing the country, particularly issues like rising food prices.
However, he lamented that, instead of offering solutions, the president focused on blaming previous administrations. “I was hoping to hear how he would deal with high food prices. I didn’t hear it. Did my colleagues hear it? Because by now, we should be debating it,” he said, highlighting the urgency of discussing and addressing the high cost of living.
Further raising concerns, the Ofoase-Ayirebi MP criticized the government’s recent decision to discontinue certain policies introduced by the previous administration.
He argued that not everything from the past government should be dismissed outright. For instance, the “Gold for Oil” program, which was implemented to help stabilize the currency and manage fuel costs, was a policy Oppong Nkrumah highlighted as beneficial. Yet, it has been scrapped without any clear explanation of what, if anything, would replace it. “Now it has been scrapped, and we don’t know what is replacing it,” he remarked.
In addition to this, Oppong Nkrumah expressed disappointment in the president’s failure to provide a clear roadmap for fulfilling major campaign promises, such as addressing unemployment and implementing a 24-hour economy.
He pointed out that while the idea of a 24-hour economy had been a key talking point during the campaign, there had been no clear definition or detailed plan to bring it to fruition.
“We were expecting to see detailed plans on the 24-hour economy. But up till now, there’s no single definition of it. Everybody you talk to gives a different answer,” he said, emphasizing the need for consistency and clarity.
Oppong Nkrumah urged the government to move away from excessive rhetoric and focus on meaningful governance. “Less propaganda, more governance. That’s what Ghanaians need right now,” he stressed, reminding the administration that words alone would not solve the pressing issues of the nation.
