Ofoase-Ayirebi Member of Parliament and former Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has prayed for God’s blessings and long life for President John Dramani Mahama following his acknowledgement of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on Ghana’s economy.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah recalled that ahead of the 2024 general elections, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), then in opposition, dismissed claims by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that global shocks—including the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war—had contributed significantly to Ghana’s economic challenges.
“God bless President Mahama and grant him long life for speaking the truth. Before the elections, he and his team insisted our difficulties were due to mismanagement. They even mocked us on social media, nicknaming Dr. Bawumia as ‘Bawuliar.’ Today, he goes to the United Nations to admit that COVID-19 has derailed the global economy for 20 years,” he said.
The lawmaker described Mahama’s recent statement as a U-turn, pointing out that during the election campaign, the NDC argued that Ghanaians’ economic hardships were solely caused by poor leadership and not by global crises.
“Their main argument was not about the management of COVID-19 funds, but that the hardships were solely caused by mismanagement. Now he admits COVID played a major role. Unfortunately, it is too late because they secured power on the back of propaganda,” Mr. Oppong Nkrumah noted.
During the 2024 campaign, the NPP government had consistently highlighted the pandemic and other global shocks as factors that strained Ghana’s economy, while the NDC maintained that corruption and reckless economic management were to blame.
At the time, former President Mahama downplayed the international impact, even stating that “the Russia bomb is not close to Ghana” and that the economic challenges were mismanaged locally.
His recent remarks at the United Nations, acknowledging that the effects of COVID-19 will disrupt global economies for two decades, have reignited political debate in Ghana.
For Mr. Oppong Nkrumah, the significance lies in the fact that Mahama lived long enough to make this confession.
“This shows Ghanaians have a short memory, just as he once said. But at least, by God’s grace, he has lived to set the record straight, even if it comes after winning power,” he added.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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