MP for Bekwai, Ralph Poku-Adusei
Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Ralph Poku-Adusei, is not impressed with President Mahama’s maiden State of the Nation Address.
According to the MP, the president, in his address, only regurgitated promises he made on campaign platforms ahead of the 2024 general elections.
President John Dramani Mahama yesterday delivered his maiden State of the Nation Address, in which he accused the Nana Addo administration of leaving behind an economic mess.
The president painted a picture of a challenged economy on all fronts but assured the nation that he would fix it before leaving office, just as he did with the energy sector crisis during his first term.
However, speaking to Parliamentary Correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan, Ralph Poku-Adusei argued that the delivery did not meet his expectations. According to the private legal practitioner, the President failed to touch on other critical issues, such as the deportation of some Ghanaians from the United States and the directive for the dismissal of persons employed after the December 7 elections.
“The SONA didn’t meet my expectations at all. It was more of a repetition of campaign promises, and I don’t think that’s what Ghanaians want to hear at this stage,” he said.
Mr. Poku-Adusei accused the President of using the address to condemn his predecessor rather than uniting the country as he discharges his mandate.
“You don’t use SONA to do propaganda. You don’t use SONA to condemn the previous government. You need to give the country some assurance that we should have faith in you, that we should have confidence in you to deliver on the mandate we’ve given you,” he stated.
The Bekwai MP acknowledged the economic turbulence under the Nana Addo administration due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to him, despite these challenges, the economy grew by over 6% in 2024, a fact he believes the President should have acknowledged in his address.
Mr. Poku-Adusei also wished President Mahama had recognized the peaceful country he inherited.
Parliament is expected to commence debate on the President’s State of the Nation Address next week, with the majority requesting more speaking slots due to their larger number of MPs.
However, this proposal has been rejected by the minority, arguing that it sets a bad precedent.