Sammi Awuku, Member of Parliament for Akuapem North Constituency, has launched a scathing attack on President John Mahama over his “criminal economy” tag.
Sammi Awuku’s response comes after President John Dramani Mahama’s State of the Nation Address, where he described the economy as a “crime scene”.
Sammi Awuku disputed Mahama’s claims, pointing out that inflation is just one of the various macroeconomic indicators used to measure an economy’s performance.
He emphasized that a rise in prices does not necessarily mean the economy was criminally managed.
Sammi Awuku cited Ghana’s inflation rate under Mahama, which increased from 9.4% to 15.4% by December 2016.
Economic Achievements Under Akufo-Addo
Sammi Awuku highlighted the achievements of the Akufo-Addo-led government, which worked to tame inflation, bringing it down to 7.6% in September 2019—the lowest in 28 years, according to the Bank of Ghana.
He also noted that the economy recorded over 6% growth, higher than President John Mahama’s 3.4% in 2016.
Mahama’s Economic Record
Sammi Awuku questioned Mahama’s understanding of the economy, asking how he could describe an economy that still recorded significant growth as “criminal.”
He also pointed out that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s average fiscal deficit was lower compared to Mills/Mahama’s, and that Nana Addo left an economy with a trade surplus, whereas John Mahama left an economy with a trade deficit in 2016.
Sammi Awuku’s response underscores the ongoing debate over Ghana’s economic performance.
While Mahama has accused the previous government of mishandling the economy, Sammi Awuku and other members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have defended their record, pointing to achievements such as employment creation and infrastructure development.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
