Dr. George Domfe, a Development Economist and Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS) at the University of Ghana’s College of Humanities, has dismissed John Mahama’s assertion that he handed over a strong economy to Akufo-Addo.
During his address at the Economic Symposium organized by ABC News in Winneba, Central Region, on Monday, 16 September 2024, Dr. Domfe contended that the former president was untruthful in claiming he left an improved economic situation for Akufo-Addo.
It is an outright lie and the height of dishonesty on the part of former president John Dramani Mahama to proclaim that he left a robust economy in 2016 when leaving power. I was shocked when the former president made this statement when he met the TUC. His performance was worse than any other regime apart from the Rawlings government.
Despite the challenges faced by the country as a result of COVID-19 and the war in Europe, Akufo-Addo has done better. The economy grew at 4.7% during the first quarter of this year. Mahama left office with a 3.4% growth rate. How can this person claim to have performed better than Akufo-Addo?.
By September 2019, inflation came down to 7.6% under Akufo-Addo, and that’s the lowest level achieved since March 1992. Akufo-Addo performed better even in the face of the global economic downturn.
He questioned the rationale behind electing an administration that had demonstrated subpar performance during stable economic conditions, in contrast to one that had excelled amid a global economic crisis.
Under Mahama, there was no COVID-19, and there was no war in Europe, but they left a growth rate of 3.4%. In the face of COVID-19 and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Akufo-Addo’s economic figures have outpaced those of Mahama. Under such conditions, why should the one who performed poorly be elected? The one doing well in these trying times deserves to be re-elected.
Dr. Domfe urged the citizens of Ghana to endorse and cast their votes for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, emphasizing that his expertise in economics could significantly contribute to the nation’s development and progress.
