John Dramani Mahama’s victory in Ghana’s 2024 presidential election comes with a daunting task: turning around the country’s ailing economy.
The economy, which has been plagued by high inflation, a depreciating currency, and a crippling debt crisis, is expected to be a major challenge for Mahama’s administration.
Ghana’s economic woes have been a major campaign issue, with Mahama’s party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), blaming the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the country’s economic troubles. The NPP, on the other hand, has attributed the economic crisis to external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Mahama’s win is seen as a referendum on the NPP’s handling of the economy, with many Ghanaians expressing dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs. According to a recent Afrobarometer survey, 8 out of 10 Ghanaians believe the country is “going in the wrong direction,” with the economy being a major concern.
As Mahama takes the reins, he will need to hit the ground running to address the economic challenges facing the country. This will require a combination of short-term measures to stabilize the economy and long-term strategies to promote sustainable growth and development.
By Benson Afful
