Ghana’s former Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has assured Ghanaians that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is committed to safeguarding the public purse, contrasting their approach with what he describes as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) “looting” of state resources.
Spio-Garbrah voiced these concerns during an interview on Face to Face with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Channel One TV, stressing that the NDC would prioritize transparency and accountability if elected.
He criticized recent remarks from NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who called on Ghanaians to trust him to manage the nation’s finances responsibly. Spio-Garbrah argued that the NPP has failed to protect public resources, citing Ghana’s exchange rate challenges as evidence of poor economic management under Bawumia’s leadership as Vice President.
“NDC is not there to steal the public purse,” Spio-Garbrah emphasized, referencing President Akufo-Addo’s earlier pledge to protect state funds. “Have they protected the public purse? They have looted it. Everywhere they can steal, they steal.”
He also questioned Bawumia’s presidential aspirations, urging him to address Ghana’s economic issues directly. Citing Bawumia’s own statement, “If the fundamentals are weak, the exchange rate will expose you,” Spio-Garbrah argued that the current economic situation has repeatedly exposed these weaknesses.