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The president is expected to speak to what some describe as the harsh economic conditions in the country, the recurring energy crisis and the acute water shortage that has hit parts of the country.

Ahead of that, Joy News has been revisiting some of the key points in the president’s last address. 

President Mahama, on February 21 last year was emphatic the economy will be resilient at the end of the 2013 fiscal year.

He said strict measures were in place to check ministries, departments and agencies spending beyond their budgetary allocations, strict monitoring by the Finance Minister.

The Ghana Revenue Authority and other agencies were also tasked to boost the collection of tax.

But inflation and the continuous fall in the value of the cedi posed a big challenge to the promise of building a resilient economy.

Budget deficit remains in double digits and the cedi has depreciated by over 25 percent in the past year.

Public private partnership was proffered by President Mahama as the means by which government was to aid the accelerated growth of the economy. But such partnerships came under close scrutiny with GYEEDA, SADA and SUBAH contracts found to be fraught with corruption.

On energy, Bui and the T3 thermal plants plus the solar park at Navrongo were to help end the energy crisis. But last week, GRIDCO announced energy crisis will worsen.

The gas project was also to help power the thermal plants. The promise then was that it will be completed by December last year. But that has also not been realised.  

On employment, the President ordered the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to work with the Ghana Statistical Service to produce quarterly labour surveys to inform policy and planning. These surveys were to create accurate database of the unemployed and track these on a quarterly basis.

It will also ensure that new jobs are accurately recorded and tracked while making it possible to coordinate the various job-creation and employment initiatives. It is unclear whether this translated in dealing with the unemployment challenge in the country.

On education, President Mahama promised to prioritize and expand access at all levels especially by building 50 of the promised 200 senior high schools across the country by the end of the first year. That promise is yet to start much less completed.

Also the 10 existing Polytechnics will receive special support while expanding degree-awarding courses.

In a related development, the 2012 flag-bearer of the Progressive People’s Party, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom is asking President Mahama to make a declaration on the delay for local level elections.

His call comes at a time when the Chairman of the Electoral Commission Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan announced to Parliament's Public Accounts Committee that District Assembly elections cannot be held in October as planned. Dr Afari Gyan blamed government for not providing funds in a timely manner to do its work according to schedule and efficiently. 

Dr Nduom is asking President Mahama to make a declaration to enable a shift in attitude towards local government, push competent people to compete to become MMDCEs and give the people the power to demand top performance from those they elect directly. 

Meanwhile, some Ghanaians have been sharing their thoughts with Joy News.

“Economy is in shambles noting seems to be working”, one said, expecting the president to come up with solutions to salvage the economy. Another person raised issues with fuel and transport fares; she wants Mahama address issues that “will make our heart cool down”. Nothing said before has materialized, she claimed and asked the president to assure Ghanaians that “there is hope for the future”.