Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy & Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has defended the government’s approach to tackling Ghana’s economic challenges, insisting that the country’s current struggles are the result of massive inherited debt. However, he maintains that President John Mahama’s administration is working tirelessly to turn things around.
Speaking on State of Affairs with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, Ibrahim dismissed claims that the government is merely lamenting instead of delivering solutions. He stated that acknowledging the depth of the financial crisis is necessary for transparency and to build public trust.
“Let the people know the reality of the challenge and give them hope that, yes, there is this problem, but we are facing it. We are going to fix it,” he stressed.
According to Ibrahim, the energy sector is a major financial burden, with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) alone owing between ₵67 billion and ₵68 billion. He contrasted this with the ₵1.2 billion owed in the sanitation sector, arguing that the government had to make difficult financial decisions to keep the country running.
To address these debts, the finance ministry has set aside ₵13 billion for repayments, with a portion of that money allocated to clearing sanitation arrears. Ibrahim acknowledged that the energy crisis has complicated Ghana’s economic recovery but insisted that the administration is committed to resolving it.
Describing the scale of the economic mismanagement by the previous government, Ibrahim alleged that there was a deliberate conspiracy to cripple the economy.
“There’s a difference between doing the wrong thing unconsciously and deliberately conspiring to mismanage the economy. What happened in Ghana was intentional,” he claimed.
He cited corruption in the energy sector, where foreign companies allegedly colluded with local actors to steal ECG materials and sell them back to the country.
“How do you justify an Indian or Chinese businessman coming here, stealing ECG materials, and then selling them back to us? What does that say about our patriotism?” Ibrahim questioned.
Ibrahim described President Mahama as working around the clock to stabilize the economy, even traveling extensively to secure international support for Ghana’s recovery.
“Ever since he took office, he’s been working 24/7 traveling to Dubai, Nigeria, everywhere to fix this mess. He started the 24-hour economy himself,” Ibrahim said.
Despite the challenges, he insisted that Ghanaians are beginning to see the impact of government interventions.
“You can see some smiles on the faces of Ghanaians. There is hope, and in leadership, you must give people hope,” he remarked.
While the government continues to address the crisis, Ibrahim cautioned that the road to full economic recovery would take time. He assured Ghanaians that the administration is making the right decisions, even if they are difficult in the short term.
“We inherited a broken system, but we are fixing it step by step. It won’t happen overnight, but we are on the right path,” he concluded.
