Former President John Dramani Mahama left a poorer economy than anticipated by the New Patriotic Party, according to President Akufo-Addo.

“We have inherited an economy in poor shape and I suspect from what I’m hearing, the evidence that is coming to me that it is in even poorer shape than we anticipated,” the president said Tuesday afternoon at the Flagstaff House as he named his regional ministers-designate.

President Akufo-Addo added that he is, however, not worried by the mess the economy is in since he is “a firm believer in the statement that when times are tough, the tough get going.

“This is the time that we have to show leadership and commitment to our nation. I continue to be an unrepentant optimist.
“We are a special people and we have a special destiny and I’m going to do everything within my bones to make sure that that destiny is realised in the years ahead of us.”

The President also stated that he has named the best government in the history of Ghana.

“I believe that already the Ghanaian people are seeing the quality of the people that I have proposed for national office and for members of the next NPP government. There are those who made all kinds of noises about the choices but I think day after day they [nominees] are proving that indeed they have the quality and the calibre that we need now to take our country up and move it to the next stage for the development of our nation.

“I’m very confident that these people that have been assembled are going to give us the best government in our history. A government that is going to take Ghana very much to the next stage of its social and economic development,” Mr. Akufo-Addo added.