Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has rejected Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson’s claim that the current government inherited an economy “in distress,” describing the assertion as “false” and “very disingenuous.”
Speaking on Channel One TV’s news analysis programme The Big Issue, Ahiagbah insisted that the Mahama administration is benefiting from the economic groundwork laid by the NPP before leaving office. He argued that the fiscal stability underpinning the 2026 Budget reflects disciplined management by the previous government, supported by ongoing IMF-driven recovery measures.
According to him, key indicators at the time of transition pointed to an improving, not distressed, economy.
“If you want to see how well they are doing, you have to see where they started from, and that acknowledgement must be offered. In doing so, I want to say that the Finance Minister has been very disingenuous. He opens his budget by saying they inherited an economy in distress.
“That is false. They inherited an economy that grew at close of day 5.7%, building on a 3.1% in 2023. The 54.1 inflation that we had in 2022, you saw the process of disinflation from December 2022, gradually till we left office about 23.7 or so.
“That shows the recovery. That shows you a process leading to where if the person handed the baton maintained that momentum, they would be in line to cross the line,” he stated.
Ahiagbah maintained that the narrative of inheriting a distressed economy does not align with the data and urged the government to acknowledge the progress made before the transition.
