National Chairman for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rubbished the State of the Nations Address (SoNA) delivered by President Akufo-Addo, describing it as inaccurate.
Delivering a presser dubbed “the True State of the Nation’s Address,” on Monday, March 20, 2023, Mr Asiedu Nketiah said the president’s address is a clear indication that he (Akufo-Addo) has lost touch with reality on the ground, since his speech was in contrast with the hardships Ghanaians are experiencing.
“Even before he stepped up to fulfill that Constitutional duty, all Ghanaians were fully aware that the State of our Nation is hopeless, recklessness, corruption, and leadership paralysis define the current state of our nation,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo on March 8, 2023, delivered the State of the Nation’s Address where he provided an update on the government’s implementation of key policies outlined in the 2022 Budget Statement. The President also touted some achievements of the government despite the ongoing economic crisis.
However, during his speech on March 20, 2023, at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) auditorium, Mr Asiedu Nketiah contended that Ghanaians are experiencing the worst economic crisis in the history of the country, given the many challenges bedeviling the state.
“In Ghana today, childhood vaccines are in short supply leading to a measles outbreak. We are going through a draconian debt restructuring programme [where] for the first time on our entire history, thanks to the monumental mismanagement of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government, pensioner bondholders have had to engage in a historic public manifestation as they picketted at the Ministry of Finance.
“All credit rating agencies have declared Ghana bankrupt. Youth employment is at an all time high according to the [recent] population census. Many businesses, banks and industries have collapsed and some have relocated to other countries in the sub-region. There have been massive job losses as a result
He added that: “Corruption has reached epidemic levels as epitomised by the Special COVID-19 audit which was an IMF bailout precondition. The President refuses to cut down the size of his bloated government, human rights violations are on the ascendancy with the recent condemnable killing of a soldier and the unfortunate brutalities in Ashaiman of all which President as the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed forces refuse to speak about government has become impervious to advice.
“We all are living the reality of the worst economic crisis in our nation’s history and there can be no denying of this. The President’s address only served to deepen the anxiety, hopelessness and uncertainty about the future of this country. It was all too clear that this government is grappling with the extent of the crisis they have created let alone figure out what to do to bring us out of the mess.
“President Akufo-Addo failed to convince the Ghanaian people that there is any end in sight to the suffering and pain that his governments recklessness and misguided policies have brought on us. In the end he cut an image of a leader who is hopelessly out of touch with the reality and genuine difficulty of his people,” he added.