SONA RHETORIC IN GHANA AMOUNTS TO BLAME GAME AS EACH NEW GOVERNMENT PREPARES FOR ITS TURN TO EAT FROM PUBLIC PURSE
SONA RHETORIC IN GHANA AMOUNTS TO BLAME GAME AS EACH NEW GOVERNMENT PREPARES FOR ITS TURN TO EAT FROM THE PUBLIC PURSE.
BY MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU
After thirty-two (32) years of Constitutional rule and democracy under the Fourth Republic of Ghana, the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by the incoming President on the occasion of the transition of government from one of the two political parties to the other ought to move from the blame game to a recognition of the past contributions to nation building and a determination to build upon the past for the future.
The situation since the 2001 transition from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of President Jerry John Rawlings to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government of President John Agyekum Kufuor through to the 27 February 2025 SONA has become one at which each transitional succeeding President uses the occasion of the SONA for lamentations on the economic incompetence of the out-gone government. It has been as though each in-coming government is insuring itself in advance against its own failure to perform to the satisfaction of the electorate at the end of its own tenure. At the same time, after the attributions and blaming of the past government the new President tells the nation that he is not lamenting or passing the buck because he was elected to right those wrongs for which he is capable of doing.
The rhetoric at each such SONA paints the bleak picture that none of the political parties that has ruled this country since 7 January 1993 has succeeded in making any significant contribution to the constitutional development of this nation except warming the democracy seat and eating its turn of the public purse pending another change in government. It is as though Ghana has been stuck at the foundation level of its constitutional development since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.
After the euphoria and youthful enthusiasm that greets any change in government, Ghana remains one country with one destiny which can only endure by mutual recognition and cooperation. But the political elite on both sides work against mutual recognition and cooperation because they see every change in government presenting them their chance to eat from the public purse. Listen to the divided national debate after every SONA and you will not miss how the political elite from both sides fan the ambers of national division just for their turn to eat, now or in the future. The 1992 Constitution demands a better approach to governance which recognises each side’s contributions to nation building and engenders cooperation in the national interest.
The first SONA transition from one political party’s governance to another under the 1992 Constitution was delivered on 15 February 2001 by John Agyekum Kufuor whose lamentation on the legacy of the daunting economy front he inherited was as follows:
“The legacy we have inherited on the economic front is daunting. Mismanagement, mass unemployment, low wages, high cost of living, a rapid depreciating currency, a colossal national debt, high dependency on foreign aid, as well as declining educational and health opportunities, extensive corruption in public life, a cowed and demoralised private sector, hopelessness and despair – this is the legacy of the last two decades” (See page 2 of the SONA).
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“Mr. Speaker, whether we succeed, or fail, depend on the people believing that their government is fair and behaves in an even-handed manner. All citizens are entitled to a fair share in the economic opportunities that open up in this country. From now on, people will no longer need to produce membership cards in this or that political party in order to enjoy the benefits of public policy (Emphasis supplied).
The total debt stock of our country stood at 41.1 trillion cedis at the end of December 2000. Out f this amount, 31.7 trillion or US$5.8 billion was external and 9.4 trillion cedis or US&1.7 billion, was domestic.
Clearly, institutions that should have acted as watchdogs to confront the problems of inefficiency and corruption as they arose, failed catastrophically” (See page 6 thereof).
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“Thus it is imperative that our first actions must be to re-establish the authority of our institutions and thereby make expenditure transparent and well-managed.
The Minister of Finance will address fully in his budget statement, the various measures we shall be taking to tackle the weakness in our economy, but I can say now that we shall have to take some hard decisions” See page 7 thereof).
The Kufuor government despite the condemnations of its predecessor fared no better when the electorate voted into office an NDC government under President John Evans Atta Mills who attempted in his introduction to his first SONA to move away from the blame game and to recognize the contributions of his predecessors to national growth when he stated at his first SONA in February 2009, inter alia, at page 1 that:
“Madam Speaker, permit me to acknowledge my predecessors; President Jerry John Rawlings and President John Agyekum Kufuor. Ghana is indeed grateful to them for their service to our Nation.
We are also grateful to them for moving our democracy further along the path to maturation. As the third President in Ghana’s Fourth Republic I will play my part to add to their legacy.
We will learn as a Nation to add to what is working, and to change course only when it is in the National Interest to do so. We will depart from the practice of undoing the valuable contributions of our predecessors. A house that is constantly rebuilding its foundation is doomed to remain stuck to the foundation level, never to reach completion and decoration, let alone occupation. Ghana deserves better.” (Emphasis supplied)
Regrettably, President Mills immediately resorted to the blame game, negativing his own admonitions of departing from the practice of undoing the valuable contributions of his predecessors. He delivered himself as follows on the comatose economy needing rescue:
“Over the last one month of assuming office, an economic management team has been reviewing our situation thoroughly. The reality as we have found out calls into question previous assertion that Ghana is doing well in spite of the global economic crisis. Let me highlight the fundamentals of our current economic status and predicament.
· The fiscal deficit, meaning the excess of expenditure over revenue, was GH¢ 2.5 Billion in 2008. This figure is over 15% of Gross Domestic Product. In layman’s terms we have spent a great deal more than what we earned.
· The external deficit or balance of payments for 2008 is estimated at GH¢3.42 Billion, or 18% of GDP. Here too, it means that we owe our foreign creditors far more than is fiscally prudent for an erstwhile HIPC country.
· The rate of inflation accelerated from 12.7 percent at the end of 2007, to 18.1 percent at the end of December 2008.
· In the space of two years i.e. between 2006 and 2008, our stock of external debt increased from US$2.2 billion to US$3.9 billion. This contributed to an increase in the overall national debt to US$7.6 billion in 2008, from US$5.3 billion in 2006. This is in spite of the over US$5.0 billion debt write off enjoyed by the nation from 2001.
· Over the last few months the cedi has lost substantial value with respect to the US dollar which is attributed to the delayed effect of excessive spending and trade imbalances we have experienced since 2006. We have used up foreign exchange resources which have accrued from various debt relief arrangements to shore up the value of the cedi.”
The economy was comatose needing a rescue plan, which is similar to what we heard on 15 February 2001, 21 February 2017, and again on 27 February 2025. John Mills stated, inter alia thus:
“We are working on a number of measures and the Finance Minister will announce in detail the specific measures aimed at achieving macro-economic stability in the budget statement to be presented shortly. The measures will include:
· Reducing State Protocol budget by half.
· Reducing Official foreign travel budget by half.
· Reducing Official seminars and workshops budget by half.
· Close monitoring of targets and dividends of state-owned companies and enterprises · Reviewing the exemptions regime.
· Increasing efficiency in revenue collection.
· Negotiating the single spine wages and salaries regime. And here Madam Speaker, permit me to commend organized labour, which obviously aware of the economic realities, is calling for broader consultation on the implementation of the single spine salary structure.
I am making sure that expenditure at the Presidency does not constitute an undue burden on the Ghanaian taxpayer I will impose austerity measures throughout the Government machinery, to ensure that we realize significant savings. As part of these measures we will review the decision to purchase two executive Presidential aircrafts. Ghana simply cannot afford the expenditure at this time and we certainly do not need two Presidential Jets.
This is the beginning of a rescue plan for building A Better Ghana.”
As though history was repeating itself the NDC government under John Dramani Mahama despite the condemnations of its predecessor Kufour regime fared no better when the electorate voted into office an NPP government under President Nana Akufo-Addo who stated at his first SONA on 21 February 2017, inter alia, about the bad economy that:
“Mr. Speaker, I say nothing new or dramatic, when I tell this Honourable House that the economy of our country is in a bad way. After all, in the run-up to the recent elections, I said so, often and loudly. Some six months after taking over the reins of government, it gives me no pleasure to have to say that our worst fears have been confirmed, plus a few additional, unpleasant surprises as well” (See page 3 thereof).
“Mr. Speaker, low growth, arising out of unemployment, high fiscal deficits, high and rising debt, and increased depreciation of the cedi, high cost of food, housing and utilities and high non-performing loans, amongst others, are symptoms of the deeper structural problems that will require a range of reforms, beginning immediately and spanning the short, medium ad long terms. We are going to implement some tough, prudent, and innovative policies to get out of this financial Cul-de sac and rescue this economy, restore fiscal discipline and debt sustainability as well as increase economic growth.
.... But, I was not elected by the overwhelming majority of the Ghanaian people to complain. I was elected to get things done. I was elected to fix what is broken and my government and I are determined to do just that. At the beginning of March, my Minister for Finance will come to this House to lay out in the national budget the details of our economic policy and the clear roadmap that we have laid out to taking the country out of the current predicament and onto a sustainable path of recovery, job creation and prosperity....” (See page 5 thereof).
The SONA for 27 February 2025 was preceded by the declaration of Ghana as an economic crime scene by President Mahama. In the SONA on 27 February 2025 President Mahama stated, inter alia, in his adulations and lamentations as follows:
“That the election result gave us an important opportunity to change course and move off the slippery slopes our country had been descending on that had caused so much economic pain, suffering, and grief.
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For the National Democratic Congress (NDC), that resounding victory is a selfless call to duty from a people weary of years of economic hardships and poor governance.”
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“Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier, Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution requires that I give an account of the State of our Nation to Parliament. I am sad to report that the state of our nation is not good. Our economy is in crisis, and our people are suffering unprecedented hardships.
Mr. Speaker, we will host a National Economic Dialogue on March 3rd and 4th. On March 11th, the Minister for Finance, on my behalf, will present the budget estimates for the financial year to this August House. These two events will allow us to present the real state of Ghana's economic crisis to the people.”
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“Our elders say that a frog's true length can be ascertained only after it has died. And how right they are.”
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“We are saddled with staggering debts and glaring signs of almost deliberate and, in some cases, criminal mismanagement of our resources.” (Emphasis supplied)
The President tried to walk back his rhetoric of lamentations on the economy when he stated that:
“Mr. Speaker, it is not my style to lament and shift blame when confronted with challenges, as others often do. My approach is to accept challenges and work hard to resolve them. Indeed, that is precisely what the people of Ghana elected me to do.
I have not come here to lament the state of our country, though there is much to lament. I understand why I was elected with such high voter confidence—to solve their problems.”
President Mahama after blaming the NPP for all the criminal mismanagement of the economy then invited them to put country first and collaborate with his government in the following words:
“I believe there is absolute wisdom in what our elders say: that two heads are better than one. Consultation and consensus building have always proven to be better than unilateral decision making. It is my hope that our colleagues on the other side of the divide will display love of country and participate in this National dialogue unlike their boycott of the Senchi Forum in 2014. (Emphasis supplied).
I humbly choose a different path of accommodation and cooperation with all stakeholders. We will continuously engage on important issues so that together, we can reset our country and focus on sustainable development. Together, we shall build the Ghana we want.”
President Mahama’s 2025 SONA repeats the rhetoric of previous SONAs of all first transition Presidents when he rendered the same rhetoric in the following words:
“Every Ghanaian, regardless of political affiliation, background, or status, has a responsibility to play a key role in nation-building and work towards a complete reset of our country.
Mr Speaker, let me assure you that we are leaving no one behind as we reset to build the Ghana we want—a Ghana that works for All.”
President Mills recognized the importance of the NPP in the development of the Fourth Republic before resorting to the blame and attribution game endemic in Ghanaian politics since independence. John Mahama after blaming and attribution turns round in the same breath to ask for accommodation and cooperation. When issues in conflict turn into identity conflicts of criminal mismanagement or economic crime scenes it becomes difficult to achieve common ground for understanding and resolution as each side gets invested in their part of the story as the true story.
The foregoing exposition on the first SONAs by NPP and NDC governments after the electorate changes which of the two political parties would rule the country for the time being, has consistently been one of acrimony with the political elite exploiting changes of government to fan discord with an eye to political appointments and self enhancement.
Between first transition SONA and a change of government from one of the two political parties is the period for the political elite of the new government to ensure that it is their turn to eat from the public purse before the electorate changes the government. While the political elite are busy at the trough eating their turn from the public purse, political party cards and political affiliation matter more than citizenship of Ghana.
The political elite whose turn of eating from the public purse has just ended position themselves for the next change of government to have their turn at the trough again. The vicious cycle and downward spiral goes on from first transition SONA to the next transition SONA with a new bred of political elite eating and leaving behind an economy that will be termed daunting, needing rescue, bad or criminal when the turn of next group of political elite comes round.
As part of the conflict interaction for the 2025 SONA season the NPP which challenges the narrative of the 2025 SONA is gearing to present its version of the economy as has always been the case after every first government SONA at the beginning of a new political party government transition since 2001.
The signs are that the Minister for Finance’s policy and budget statement to be presented on 11 March 2025 intends to deepen rather than lessen inter party acrimony and hamper cooperation for collective national development. It happened after 7 January, 2009, 2017 and is happening again. Like crabs in a basket none of the two political parties wishes the other to succeed because to do so will block the chances of the other group of political elite to have their turn to eat from the public purse for a long time to come.
The interest of the 1992 Constitution demands that this nation learns to move away from the crabs in a basket mentality and attituded to adopt “as a Nation to add to what is working and to change course only when it is in the National Interest to do so” as President Mills recommended in his first 2009 SONA even though it was breached more in the observance.
Ghana is not a criminal country simply because a few citizens inevitably commit crimes. In the same vein, the culture of rhetorically tagging whole governments and political parties as criminals that started with the Kufuor government on 15 February 2001 needs to stop and the individual political elite who criminally eat from the public purse or deprive the public purse of what is due it dealt with purely as a crime suspect in accordance with the due process of law.
The suspected criminal is not the government or political party to which the political elite profess to be a member, but the individual political elite who uses the instrument of government to commit what is purely a suspected crime. By aggregating the individual suspected criminal with his government and political party we turn pure crimes into political crimes that invites the political party and government to invest in the defence of the suspected criminal as we have seen throughout the 32 years of the 1992 Constitution.
The experiments of the last 32 years from the analysis of transition SONAs of new governments explored hereinbefore teaches us that unless we Put Ghana First this country will forever be stuck at the foundation level of good governance enshrined in the 1992 Constitution no matter how many amendments we make to the Constitution.
Martin A. B. K. Amidu
2 March 2025.