President John Dramani Mahama’s maiden State of the Nation Address (SONA), scheduled for February 27, 2025, has become a litmus test for his administration’s ability to address mounting economic and environmental crises.
At the SD Dombo University of Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) in Ghana’s Upper West Region, students voiced urgent demands for clarity on flagship policies like the promised “24-hour economy,” alongside calls to tackle illegal mining, inflation, and youth unemployment.
“We need timelines, not just talk,” said Ida Adiyone Alira, a political science student and Speaker of the UBIDS Youth Parliament. Her skepticism reflects broader frustration among young Ghanaians, 60% of whom are underemployed or jobless, according to 2024 labor data. Mahama’s pledge to roll out a round-the-clock economy—aimed at creating shifts in sectors like manufacturing and healthcare—has yet to materialize, leaving many questioning its feasibility.
Alira also highlighted the unchecked spread of galamsey (illegal small-scale mining), which has ravaged 40% of Ghana’s forest reserves since 2020. “Our rivers are poisoned, our lands stripped bare. Security forces are outgunned and outnumbered,” she said, referencing clashes between miners and authorities in regions like Ashanti and Eastern Ghana. Despite a 2023 ban on excavator imports, satellite imagery shows deforestation accelerating, with experts blaming corruption and weak enforcement.
Economic anxieties loom large. Inflation, which peaked at 54% in 2023, remains volatile at 22%, squeezing households already battered by soaring food and fuel prices. Dorcas Biisome Duut, a development planning student, urged Mahama to outline “specific, measurable steps” to stabilize the economy. “We need GDP growth targets, debt management strategies, and support for small businesses,” she said, noting that Ghana’s public debt—projected to hit 105% of GDP by mid-2025—threatens to derail recovery.
The SONA comes amid heightened scrutiny of Mahama’s second-term agenda. Elected on promises of revitalizing agriculture and digital innovation, his administration faces pressure to pivot from crisis management to long-term reforms. Analysts argue that restoring trust requires transparency: “Youth unemployment and inflation are interlinked,” said Accra-based economist Nana Ama Boateng. “Without credible plans to boost productivity and diversify exports, even the 24-hour economy will stall.”
Environmental activists, meanwhile, are demanding urgent action on galamsey. A 2024 Global Witness report linked illegal mining to $3 billion in annual revenue losses, with Chinese-backed syndicates exploiting regulatory gaps. “This isn’t just an ecological disaster—it’s a governance failure,” said Kofi Asare, director of the Ghana Environmental Forum.
As Mahama takes the podium, students like Duut insist symbolism won’t suffice. “We’re tired of hearing about problems we already know. Show us the roadmap,” she said. With over 70% of Ghana’s population under 35, the address could define his legacy—or deepen the disillusionment shaping the nation’s political future.
