Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako-Mensah, has condemned President John Dramani Mahama for labeling his predecessor, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his appointees as “criminal-minded.”
The criticism came during an interview with Angel FM, where Adomako-Mensah expressed astonishment at Mahama’s comments, suggesting that the President appears to still be in campaign mode.
“I was surprised about His Excellency’s commentary. I think he believes he’s still in campaign mood. He received overwhelming support; I’m not the one to advise him at my age and considering where he has reached. But humbly, he should concentrate on his work. If Ghana works, we will be happy.”
Adomako-Mensah urged Mahama to shift his focus from political rhetoric to the responsibilities of his office.
He emphasized that Mahama’s remarks could mislead Ghanaians into believing Akufo-Addo and his appointees are criminals without any concrete evidence.
“If you are President and meet with labour and say the Nana Addo gov’t is criminally minded without providing further details, how can we interrogate that? This is the danger: Ghanaians will think Nana Addo and his appointees are criminals without any evidence. As the First Gentleman of the land, I will plead with him to take his time and concentrate.”
The MP also raised questions about the financial management of Mahama’s administration, particularly regarding the payment of bondholders.
He pointed out that if Akufo-Addo’s government had left the country in a financially precarious state, as Mahama suggested, it would be puzzling how the current administration managed to secure billions of cedis to pay bondholders within a short period.
He said “Felix Kwakye Ofosu wrote a letter stating that they’ve paid the 4th coupons. Where did they get the money to pay the bondholders? Are they implying that between January and February, they accumulated billions of money in the sinking fund within just two months to pay bondholders? The man you’re calling a criminal left that money behind”.
Again, Adomako-Mensah highlighted the financial implications of Mahama’s frequent travels since assuming office.
He noted that each trip involves a significant entourage, with all members receiving per diems, and questioned where the funds for these expenses were sourced.
“since he assumed office, he has traveled 4-5 times. He travels with 15-20 people, and everybody is paid a per diem. Where did they get the money from?”, the Mp quizzes.
Adomako-Mensah defended Akufo-Addo’s administration, acknowledging the difficult decisions made during his tenure, particularly in response to the economic challenges posed by COVID-19. He noted that Akufo-Addo took bold steps, such as delaying bond payments until 2026, which were necessary under the circumstances.
“We all admit that since 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic, things have been difficult, and everybody understands this. However, Nana Addo made a tough decision. Do you think it was easy for him to tell bondholders that he would pay them after 2026? We were in a precarious situation, and he had to make a bold decision.”
The MP also referenced apologies made by the former President and Finance Minister for the hardships faced by Ghanaians, contrasting this with Mahama’s approach of blaming his predecessor without providing evidence.
“Nana Addo came to parliament to apologize. I’ve listened to the former finance minister apologizing for the situation Ghanaians went through, but it’s unfair for the sitting President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, to create an impression that Nana Addo is a criminal without any evidence.”
Adomako-Mensah appealed to Mahama to adopt a more constructive leadership style, focusing on governance rather than political blame-shifting.
He emphasized “If Nana Addo is a criminal, he didn’t leave any money, and the country is bankrupt, how is he able to manage the country up until now? Who among government workers has not been paid? I’ll plead with him; he’s now the President. He should stop the blame game. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with giving us some details about how he inherited the situation, but he’s saying it as if Nana Addo was so bad that he left nothing in the coffers. How could he have survived? Who funded his inauguration?”
Background:
President John Mahama described Ghana’s economic situation as a “crime scene”, blaming the previous administration for what he calls reckless financial mismanagement.
Speaking to Organized Labour on Thursday, February 20, 2025, Mahama did not hold back in his criticism of the former government’s handling of the economy, emphasizing the severe financial strain it has placed on the country.
“Comrades, you know we [the government] are natural allies, and we’ve worked together for many years. One thing that is a cardinal principle for us is to tell the truth at all times. We all knew the economy was in crisis, but some of the things I’m discovering myself, it’s been the criminal handling of our economy. Ghana is a crime scene, actually, because how a government could have been so reckless, I cannot understand. But we are faced with the reality, and our options are very few.”
www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
