National Chairman for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused President Akufo-Addo of deceiving Ghanaians with the claim that he knows how to “revive the economy.”
Speaking at a press conference dubbed the “True State of the Nation’s Address,” held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), he noted the government has failed in reviving the country’s economy, as it promised.
On the contrary, he said the current administration has plunged the country into a severe economic crisis.
“Despite being the luckiest and most resourced government in Ghana’s history, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government has the least to show in terms of socio-economic development. This is because the NPP has used all your money mainly for consumption. This is contrary to the President’s claim that his government has used “a large amount of the money we borrowed on road construction,” he said on Monday, March 20, 2023.
He further refuted the government’s claim of constructing 11,000 kilometres of new roads, describing it as false “and should be completely disregarded.”
“It is a tragedy that the President will classify routine minor road management repairs such as re-sealing, refilling, reshaping, pothole filling, re-gravelling and even desilting of gutters as new road construction,” he said.
Baffled by the address presented by the President, Mr Asiedu Nketiah noted that the President is being evasive about the reality on the ground with regards to what the true State of the nation is.
“It is obvious that President Akufo-Addo who continues to revel in the largesse of high office does not appreciate the present reality of the Ghanaian people. The President continues to live in his own world, far removed from yours and mine, that he fails or neglects to appreciate the true State of the Nation.
“The true State of the Nation is when a ball of kenkey which used to sell between 50 pesewas and GHS1.00 in December 2016, is now being sold between GhS4.00 and GHS5.00. The true State of Ghana today is that, a sack of maize which used to sell for GHS170.00 in 2016 is now being sold for GHS900.00 as at February, 2023.
“The true State of the Nation is when a bag of Gino Rice (5kg) which used to go for GHS25.00 in December 2016, is now being sold for GHS185.00. Similarly, a tuber of yam which used to sell for GHS5.00 is now being sold for GHS25.00, while a bag of Sachet Water which used to sell for GHS1.50 in 2016, is now being sold for GHS10.00 as at February 2023. Also, a bag of cement which sold for GHS27.00 in December 2016 is today selling at a staggering GHS90.00 and last, but not least, sanitary pad which used to sell for averagely GHS2.50 in December 2016 is today selling for GHS20.00.
“When everything is said and done, this is the true State of the Nation. This is what we feel when we go to the market. This is what we feel in our pockets. This is our everyday reality. A reality in which babies do not have vaccines leading to a measles outbreak; the youth do not have jobs; the middle class faces imminent extinction; and the elderly are being deprived of their life-savings by the very government that swore to protect them.
He concluded that: “This is not the Ghana we deserve; this is not the Ghana our forebears toiled and sacrificed for. The NDC shall not be complicit in this mess.”
“It is absolutely important to awaken President Akufo-Addo and the ruling NPP to the uncomfortable, but frank True State of Ghana today – a nation of many living in fear of where to find their next meal, leaving many parents to endure sleepless nights.
“The true State of our dear Nation no longer lies in flowery speeches laced with political chicanery that never accepts responsibility for anything. Neither does it lie in abstract theories that blame personal failings on events that have no significant impact on our lives,” he added.