President John Mahama has urged Ghanaians to disregard what he described as the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) fear-mongering about the state of the economy.
The NPP has on several political platforms declared that Ghana is in a state of crisis under the John Mahama-led administration therefore the need to vote for change.
But addressing students of the University of Ghana as part of his campaign tour of the Ayawaso West Constituency, President Mahama accused the NPP of creating the economic crisis rhetoric for cheap political gain.
The President said the NPP persisted in creating a negative impression about the economy “despite all the scientific basis even from outside” as he once again noted that international credit rating agency, Moody’s, had given an endorsement of Ghana’s economic prospects.
According to him, “if you are in opposition, you must create in the mind of the electorate that there is a crisis even when a crisis does not exist and so you find our opponents continuing to give an impression as if this country is in crisis.”
President Mahama sought to dispel the NPP’s notions saying, “I can tell you on authority as President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces that this country is not in crisis and this country is not going backwards. She is going forward.”
NPP, NDC row over economy’s health
The campaign trail in recent times has been characterized by a back and forth over the perception of the economy between the NPP and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The NPP has continually painted a gloomy picture of Ghana’s economic prospects with the NPP’s Running Mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia yesterday [Thursday] describing the NDC and President Mahama as clueless in economic management for which reason it did not deserve a second term.
Dr. Bawumia has also argued that Moody’s, did not upgrade the rating of Ghana’s economy accusing the President of misleading Ghanaians.
According to him, Moody’s did not upgrade Ghana’s rating as the country’s rating under Moody’s is still B-negative. It is only the outlook that has been revised, and that is not equivalent to a ratings upgrade, Dr, Bawumia said.
President Mahama subsequently called on Ghanaians not to fall for such claims from the NPP as he retorted that “this economy is stabilizing. The international community and everybody else recognises that Ghana else has bright economic prospects.”
“The Cedi is one of the best performing currency’s in Africa this year in terms of stability and Moody’s have come out to upgrade Ghana’s economy and moved us from B-negative to B-stable and yet somebody who calls himself and economist can lie that Moody’s has not upgraded Ghana,” the President added as he questioned Dr. Bawumia’s economic credentials.
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