Nat’l Tymes News Desk
THE NEW Patriotic Party (NPP) is facing growing criticism from supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) over what they describe as a desperate search for political issues to undermine the government’s improving economic record.
According to NDC supporters, the opposition is finding it increasingly difficult to sustain its attacks on the government as key economic indicators continue to improve.
They point to falling inflation, better fiscal management, improved foreign exchange conditions, stronger reserves and growing investor confidence as evidence that the Mahama administration is gradually bringing the economy back on track.
The NDC argument is that the government inherited a deeply troubled economy and has spent the past months taking difficult measures to restore stability and confidence.
They therefore believe the opposition should acknowledge the progress instead of searching for isolated issues that can be turned into political controversies.
The latest GoldBod dispute, involving a reported US$1.7 billion figure attributed to the IMF, has become a major example cited by NDC supporters.
The NPP Minority, led by Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has used the figure to question GoldBod’s operations and the government’s economic management.
NDC supporters, however, insist that describing the figure simply as a US$1.7 billion loss is misleading because the amount is linked to accounting and valuation issues and does not necessarily mean that US$1.7 billion in cash has disappeared from state coffers.
They accuse the opposition of attempting to turn the figure into a major political scandal because, in their view, the government has so far denied the NPP the kind of corruption controversies that dominated political discussions during the previous administration.
Some NDC supporters are openly asking what political weapon the opposition can use when it cannot point to a major corruption scandal involving the current government.
They argue that during the NPP’s eight years in office, the NDC consistently used allegations of corruption and controversial government transactions to keep pressure on the administration. The political situation, they say, has now changed.
According to them, the Mahama administration’s economic performance is gradually taking away some of the opposition’s traditional talking points.
They maintain that the NPP’s focus on the GoldBod figure is therefore an attempt to create a new political narrative around the economy.
But NDC supporters say political accountability must be based on accurate interpretation of economic data and not on figures presented in a manner that creates unnecessary fear among the public.
For the government, the challenge is now to ensure that the improving economic figures translate into real benefits for ordinary Ghanaians.
Ghanaians want lower prices, jobs, affordable credit, stronger businesses and improved household incomes.
The NDC believes the economy is moving in the right direction.
The NPP believes there are still serious questions to be answered.
And as the 2028 political contest gradually takes shape, the battle over Ghana’s economic record is certain to become one of the biggest political battlegrounds.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
