News:
January 29, 2026
Leader of Government Business, Mahama Ayariga, has called on Ghanaians to disregard recent criticisms of the economy leveled by the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin.
At a press conference on Monday, January 26, 2026, the NPP Minority criticized the current administration’s handling of the economy. In response, Ayariga, in a press statement, asserted that the Majority caucus will soon remind the nation of what he describes as the “tragic situation” inherited from the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
He outlined a series of challenges he attributes to the NPP’s tenure, including a collapsed financial system, unprecedented depreciation of the cedi, high inflation that eroded family incomes, and consistent failures in critical social services.
“Senior High Schools constantly failed to resume on time due to a lack of feeding funds, and hospitals turned away patients because the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) consistently failed to pay claims,” Ayariga stated.
He further accused the previous administration of accumulating massive debts in the energy sector, leading to faltering utilities, and leaving behind a “dysfunctional” public transportation system. “The low carrying capacity was exposed the very first Christmas season after they left office,” he added.
Ayariga outlined the current government’s corrective measures, including plans to beef up the fleet of state-owned transport companies and foster a financial environment that enables the private sector to augment public transport. He promised significant improvements in urban public transportation soon.
Looking ahead to Parliament’s resumption in early February, the Majority Leader announced plans to request a detailed audit of the previous administration’s “One District One Factory” policy. The audit aims to establish which companies received tax exemptions and how those exemptions were utilized.
“The One District One Factory policy was a monumentally failed government policy due to corruption and blatant abuse,” Ayariga claimed. “If it was successful, many of the youth Afenyo-Markin pretends to be concerned about would have secured private-sector jobs by now.”
Conversely, Ayariga highlighted the current government’s initiatives, notably the progress toward a “24-Hour Economy.” He said the legal framework to establish a 24-Hour Economy Authority will be passed when Parliament resumes, aiming to create a fiscal environment conducive to industrialization and growth in the services sector.
The Leader of Government Business contrasted the past with the present, citing international recognition from institutions like the IMF and the World Bank for the government’s economic management. He pointed to improved exchange rates, inflation, and foreign reserves as evidence of a “successful and exceptionally quick turnaround,” driven by “smart economic policies, fiscal discipline, and prudence.”
He singled out the “GoldBod” mechanism as an innovative use of natural resources to stabilize the currency, suggesting the NPP regrets not conceiving such a policy.
Ayariga also commended the country’s revamped foreign policy and “economic diplomacy” under Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for contributing to the economic recovery.
On the fight against illegal mining, Ayariga stated, “Government has fought Galamsey with unprecedented ferocity and the battle is being won.” He reported a significant halt in environmental destruction and new investments in environmental reconstruction.
Ghanamps.com