Ato Forson’s “Distressed Economy” Claim False and Disingenuous – Ahiagbah

Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has dismissed Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson’s assertion that the Mahama administration inherited an economy “in distress,” describing the claim as false and highly disingenuous.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue, Ahiagbah argued that the current administration is benefiting from the economic recovery efforts initiated by the previous NPP government before leaving office. He said the fiscal stability reflected in the 2026 Budget is a direct outcome of disciplined economic management under the NPP—reinforced by frameworks put in place during the IMF-supported programme.

“The Data Shows Recovery, Not Distress”

Ahiagbah challenged Ato Forson’s characterisation of the economy at the point of transition.

“If you want to see how well they are doing, you have to see where they started from, and that acknowledgement must be offered,” he said.

“The Finance Minister has been very disingenuous. He opens his budget by saying they inherited an economy in distress. That is false.”

He pointed to key economic indicators to support his argument:

• GDP growth was 5.7% at the time the NPP was leaving office, up from 3.1% in 2023.
• Inflation, which peaked at 54.1% in 2022, had been on a steady downward trend, falling to about 23.7% at the time of transition.

Ahiagbah said these trends clearly demonstrated a recovery trajectory rather than distress.

“That shows the recovery. That shows you a process leading to where, if the person handed the baton maintained that momentum, they would be in line to cross the line,” he noted.

Calls for Acknowledgment of NPP’s Work

The NPP communicator insisted that the government must recognise the progress made before the transition, warning that political spin should not distort the economic record.

Ahiagbah maintained that the narrative of inheriting a distressed economy does not align with the data and urged the Finance Minister to “be truthful with Ghanaians.”