Our true state is hopelessness …Minority reacts to SONA

Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, has said the true state of the Ghanaian economy is one of joblessness and hopelessness.

According to Dr Forson, MP for Ajumako/ Enyan/Esiam constituency, the hopeless­ness explains the recent exodus of Ghanaian professionals to other countries for greener pastures.

Reacting to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s message on the state of the nation in parliament yesterday, Dr Forson said the President seems not to care about the state of the country.

“I am scandalised and shocked to the marrow that President in his recent reshuffle has increased his government. Today we have a minister of finance domestic and minister of finance international,” Dr Forson stated.

Following the reassignment of Ken Ofori-Atta as Senior Presidential Advisor and Special Envoy for International Finance and Private Sector Investments, and the elevation of Dr Mohammed Amin Adam to the position of Finance Minister from Minister of State, pro-government news outlet, Asaase radio, has reported that a Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare has been nominated Minis­ter of State at the Ministry of Finance.

According to Asaase radio, the 2024 parlia­mentary candidate of the NPP for the Juaboso Constituency, Dr Alexander Ampaabeng, has been nominated as Deputy Minister of Finance.

This, Dr Forson said does not depict a pres­ident who is concerned about the plight of the Ghanaian people at a time there’s been a call on the President to downsize his government.

“The unemployment situation in our coun­try is at a critical point, yet we did not hear a word from our President on this matter,” with only 11 million out of the 33 million citizens employed.

“What this means is that two out of every three Ghanaian is unemployed. Mr Speaker, 30 per cent of our youth are jobless and about 4.5 million Ghanaians are out of the labour force. What this means is that this 4.5 million plus have given up on their search for jobs because of years of frustrations and disappointment under this government.”

To this end, Dr Forson posited that “a vote for Alhaji Bawumia is a vote for President Akufo-Addo’s third term,” adding that the two are siamese twins and could not be separated because “Ghanaians voted for the President and his vice. The President cannot fail alone. The President would have to fail with his Vice President. Mr President, you have failed with your Vice President.”

The Majority Leader, Alexander Afen­yo-Markin, on his part said with the optimism with which the President spoke about the recovery process from ravages of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the country would bounce back stronger to its pre-covid days.

“Mr Speaker, considering the situation we find ourselves, we are down but we will rise again under the able leadership he (the Presi­dent is providing),” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

He said the caucus was ready to debate and defend the lasting legacy of the Akufo-Addo government and to show that they have the best interest of the country at heart compared to their political opponents.

For the Majority Chief Whip, Frank An­noh-Dompreh, the President’s was a “sober reflection”of happening in the country.

“The President was brutally frank, and hum­ble, admitted to challenges and spoke to sen­sitive issues that are going on in the country. I think that was massive from the president,” the Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP submitted.

 BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI

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