Director of NDC’s International Relations Directorate, Alex Segbefia, has said government created a wrong impression to Ghanaians when it promised to roll out certain flagship policies.
He says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) tried to throw dust into the eyes of the citizens but it did not succeed because prudent measures were not taken to ensure better economic growth.
Speaking in a reaction to the ‘Ku Me Preko’ demonstration, Mr Segbefia observed that the present economic circumstances were bound to happen because the NPP decided to implement projects “which are basically very high on consumption and not on production.”
The former Health Minister said this on Joy News’ Newsfile on Saturday, November 5, 2022.
“You have this fundamental problem of lack of accountability by themselves. The government decided to play ‘chacha’ with us but it didn’t work. You had all these policies you decided to come and implement and you looked at the revenue you had been left behind and decided that it is doable.”
“So, you created six new regions; that’s not cheap. You’ve mentioned the banking crisis… and the problem is not yet solved and there were other ways of dealing with it. They chose that path they have taken, we are still in that hole,” he said.
Alex Segbefia noted that the introduction of the Free Senior High School policy, for instance, was wrongly done.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo did not even analyse the cost implications of the flagship programme before its implementation.
“So, we have had Free SHS in our Constitution all this time and another person decided that I will do it gradually but you made it a flagship project that ‘I will do it big bang’; no problem.
“But you didn’t even cost it before you started. You were asked even on BBC programme how much does it cost, you couldn’t answer,” he added.
He, however, believes Akufo-Addo-led government is the luckiest in the history of this country’s governance, at least since the era of Kwame Nkrumah.
Scores of protesters have massed up in the streets of Accra to register their displeasure at the government over what they say is the mismanagement of the economy.
Among other demands, they want President Akufo-Addo to resign in order to pave way for the constitutional provision for his replacement to be set in motion.
