Former Member of Parliament for Subin, Eugene Boakye Antwi, has openly criticized the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for losing its reputation as “better managers of the economy,” attributing this downfall to the leadership of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
In a recent statement, Antwi claimed that under Akufo-Addo’s administration, the NPP watched as the economy deteriorated, particularly highlighting the negative effects of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) on Ghanaian pensioners. “The DDEP, which brought hardship to pensioners, was the height of it,” he said, emphasizing the deep financial strain it caused for many citizens.
Antwi reflected on the loss of public trust in the NPP, pointing out that the party had once been known for its economic stewardship. However, with the economy faltering and the depreciation of the cedi, many Ghanaians began to lose confidence in the government. “In elections, we are known as better managers of the economy. When all the chips are down, you expect the NPP to come up. That is why most Ghanaians lost trust in the NPP when they realized that the economy was going south,” he explained.
He further stressed that the business-minded members of the party were increasingly disillusioned, with many either choosing not to vote or planning to vote for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). According to Antwi, this shift in sentiment signifies a deeper issue within the NPP, as the party’s economic credibility had been severely undermined.
The former MP also called for change within the leadership, specifically pointing to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. “That is why some of us confronted the president to change the finance minister because there are others who can do better,” Antwi said. He expressed concern over the continued depreciation of the cedi and the rising cost of living without corresponding increases in salaries, suggesting that the government’s economic policies had failed to alleviate the burdens on ordinary Ghanaians.
