Franklin Cudjoe, the President of policy think-tank IMANI Africa, has lauded the administration of President John Dramani Mahama for what he describes as a "phenomenal" shift toward fiscal restraint during its first year in office.

Appearing on Channel One TV on Saturday, January 10, 2026, Mr Cudjoe argued that the government’s early successes are rooted in a deliberate departure from the uncontrolled public spending that characterised previous years.

Central to Mr Cudjoe’s assessment is the performance of the Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.

He noted that when critics and analysts questioned how the administration could justify claims of a rapid economic turnaround, the Finance Minister offered a refreshingly simple explanation: discipline.

“I think this government, with Ato Forson and the president, started on a good note. If I recall when this question was asked—‘What has the NDC done to be talking about this improvement or growth?’—there was a simple answer Ato gave: the difference is economic discipline.”

According to the IMANI chief, this commitment to "fiscal medicine" has been the differentiating factor between the current regime and its predecessor.

He suggested that by prioritising value-for-money spending and tightening expenditure controls, the government has successfully signalled to both domestic investors and international partners that the "national purse is no longer open-ended".

Mr Cudjoe’s comments come on the heels of the 2026 Budget Statement, which highlighted a remarkable macroeconomic recovery throughout 2025.

Key indicators cited by the Ministry of Finance and corroborated by independent trackers show a significant cooling of the economy.

From Recovery to Transformation

The IMANI President noted that nearly all major policy moves taken by the Mahama administration in 2025 aligned with the principle of "economic discipline".

This includes the reduction of the size of government to 60 ministers, significant budget cuts for the Office of the President, and the prohibition of first-class travel for government officials.

While acknowledging that some groundwork for debt restructuring began under the previous administration, Mr Cudjoe maintained that the current leadership deserves the lion's share of the credit for how it has organised state affairs and restored confidence.

“This approach has helped set the tone for the government’s economic policies and programmes... Discipline in managing public finances and adhering to clear economic priorities has distinguished the current administration.”

Despite the high praise, Mr Cudjoe concluded with a characteristic call for vigilance, urging the government to ensure that the gains from "economic discipline" are converted into lasting productivity and job creation rather than being eroded by election-year pressures.