In 2017, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made a commitment that he would prevent the Ghanaian economy from collapsing during his tenure.
During his address to parliament on February 21, 2017, as part of the State of the Nation, President Akufo-Addo affirmed that his administration would substantially decrease the fiscal deficit within that year.
However, looking ahead to 2023, the governing New Patriotic Party, led by President Akufo-Addo, has encountered significant censure concerning the handling of the economy. The economy is presently operating under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Program.
While the government has occasionally attributed the economic difficulties to external factors like the Russia-Ukraine War and the COVID-19 pandemic, a segment of the public has contested these explanations. They accuse the government of mismanaging public funds and presiding over ineffective institutions.
A tweet shared by Akufo-Addo on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in 2017 has resurfaced, sparking agitation among some users due to the unfulfilled promise.
“I will not allow this economy to collapse under my watch. We will reduce significantly the fiscal deficit this year,” the 2017 tweet read.
Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has acknowledged the current challenging circumstances and expressed empathy towards Ghanaians. He further noted that brighter days are on the horizon if a new leader from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is able to succeed him.
Following his participation in the NPP super delegates conference on August 26, where he cast his vote at the party headquarters, Akufo-Addo addressed the media. He openly acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, asserting that he is the first to recognize the hardships being faced.
“Ghanaians say they are not happy with the way conditions are, they are tired, they are suffering,” a journalist asked the president who was departing from the premises after casting his ballot.
He replied: “It is difficult. I am the first to admit it, I have said it several times, I am the first to admit it. But at the end of the day, believe that when the moment comes, Ghanaians will refer to a good person and get us out of these difficulties and take us to the next stage. That is the New Patriotic Party.”