Parliament concluded its debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) today, with leadership from both caucuses offering starkly different assessments of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin launched a sharp critique of the government’s priorities, specifically condemning the purchase of a new Presidential Jet. He argued the expenditure was “unacceptable” at a time when numerous hospital projects across the country remain unfinished.
Addressing the economy, the Minority Leader claimed the President had reneged on his pledge to provide employment for the younger generation. He highlighted that many applicants were excluded from recent security service recruitment drives due to a lack of internet access. Furthermore, Afenyo-Markin contended that a reduction in the cocoa producer price has “worsened the plight of the cocoa farmer.”
In a rebuttal, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga defended the administration’s agricultural and industrial policies. He maintained that the producer price has actually reached “unprecedented heights” under the current government.
Ayariga emphasized the impact on local communities, stating
“This is not mere commerce; it is the restoration of the dignity of the Ghanaian soil. We are moving from being exporters of raw toil to masters of our own industrial destiny, investing in local processing so that ‘Made in Ghana’ becomes a global standard of excellence, not a colonial footnote.”
The debate ended with the House officially adopting the motion on the SONA. The motion was moved by Isaac Adongo, MP for Bolgatanga Central, and seconded by John Ntim Fordjour, MP for Assin South.