The Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku, Mahama Ayariga, has mounted a spirited defence of the Mahama administration’s stewardship of the economy and democratic governance, while launching a blistering attack on the opposition NPP, over what he described as years of “waste, mismanagement and plunder.”
Addressing Parliament yesterday at the commencement of the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament, the Bawku Central MP said Ghana was witnessing one of the fastest economic recoveries in its history under President John Dramani Mahama.
In a speech laced with political jabs at the Minority, the majority leader accused the previous NPP administration of dragging the economy into collapse through reckless governance, but the current NDC government has managed to stabilise the situation within a short period.
He mocked the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, suggesting she was “rehearsing for her potential role as a running mate,” before declaring that the country had entered a period of “renewed hope and optimism.”
Fastest Economic Recovery
The Majority Leader relied heavily on comments made recently by policy analyst, Franklin Cudjoe, to support his defence of the government’s economic record.
Quoting the IMANI Africa President extensively on the floor of Parliament, Ayariga said even civil society had acknowledged that the Mahama administration had engineered “the fastest economic recovery in Ghana’s history.”
According to him, Ghana’s economic stabilisation had been achieved despite inheriting what he described as a “badly bruised, broken and marred” IMF programme from the previous administration.
He argued that the economic collapse experienced in 2022 was avoidable and blamed it on “regressive self-immolating policies of waste, mismanagement and plunder.”
Ayariga maintained that inflation was declining rapidly, debt levels were reducing and investor confidence was gradually returning under the current administration.
“What is the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI)? It is a non-financial advisory and monitoring tool provided by the IMF. It allows the country to design and implement its own economic reforms without receiving a financial bailout,” he explained.
He further described the transition from the IMF bailout programme to the PCI as a “masterstroke in economic diplomacy.” According to him, the government was determined to ensure Ghana would not quickly return to the IMF as had repeatedly happened under successive administrations since independence.
Defends Mahama Leadership
The Majority Leader praised President Mahama’s leadership style, insisting the President was personally invested in the details of governance. “The President reads every document handed to him, often correcting grammatical mistakes before signing the country up to the contents,” Ayariga stated.
He stressed that the economic gains being recorded were not propaganda from the NDC, but reflected objective assessments from independent voices. “This is civil society’s verdict on this government, not NDC praising itself,” he declared.
Press Freedom Gains
Ayariga also defended the government’s democratic credentials, citing Ghana’s improved ranking in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index. According to him, Ghana’s rise to the 39th position globally represented a “remarkable institutional redemption” under the Mahama administration.
He described the achievement as evidence of what he called a “profound democratic resurrection” under the NDC government.
“We have fiercely reclaimed our heritage as a vanguard of free expression,” he said.
The Majority Leader subsequently accused the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, of attacking the judiciary.
He cautioned politicians to remain consistent in their public comments regarding court decisions, stressing that democratic governance depended on respect for state institutions.
“I want to assure the judiciary that we on this side of the House have their backs covered,” he declared.
NPP Blamed For Economic Hardship
While admitting that Ghana still faced serious economic challenges, Ayariga argued that many of the problems were inherited from the previous administration.
He cited rising youth unemployment, infrastructure deficits and a struggling private sector as consequences of years of economic mismanagement.
“The last one and a half years of economic management establishes the point that our economy does not lack. Our economy has only suffered from decades of inefficiency, waste, graft and corruption,” he said.
He assured Ghanaians that the government’s proposed 24-hour economy policy would accelerate job creation following Ghana’s exit from the IMF bailout programme.
The Majority Leader further announced that Parliament would be handling an intensive legislative agenda during the session, including 48 bills and 26 statutory instruments.
Calls For Unity
Touching on the arrest of the MP for Asante Akyem North in the Netherlands, Ayariga urged Ghanaians to avoid prejudicial commentary and respect the principle of innocence until proven guilty.
He also called for cooperation between the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament, insisting national development could not be achieved through perpetual partisan conflict.
“History will judge this Ninth Parliament not by the volume of our arguments, but by our contribution to national progress,” he stated.
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