The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has asked President Akufo-Addo and his government to relieve Ghanaians from the current economic crisis. 

Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah says the current predicament of the nation has brought untold misery to the citizenry. 

The former General Secretary of NDC, has thus asked President Akufo-Addo to stop paying lip service to the issues confronting the economy and address them head on. 

Delivering an address titled, “The True State of the Nation Address” on Monday, March 20, at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, Mr Asiedu Nketiah urged the President to also show humility.

According to him, the President’s failure to accept responsibility for the crisis leaves much to be desired. 

“Ghanaians want relief from the socioeconomic pain and hardships visited on them by the NPP administration and not flimsy excuses. 

“Ghanaians want a government that will be truthful even in difficult times and listen to them in humility.

“Incontrovertible facts show that, Ghana’s economy showed signs of serious challenges even before COVID-19 struck, a point that was made by the Country Director of the World Bank, Mr. Pierre Laporte,” he said in the address. 

Mr Asiedu Nketiah also said President Akufo-Addo has woefully failed in his fight against corruption.

He stated that the President’s actions and complicity have emboldened many of his officials. 

“President Akufo-Addo’s silence on corruption in his infamous address was loud. It was as loud as his guilt. Evidently, corruption has defeated his family and friends’ government. 

“Instead of confronting this canker head-on, President Akufo-Addo has constituted himself into a “Corruption Clearing Agent”, ever-willing to whitewash himself and any of his appointees who dabble in corruption, even before investigative processes commence.

“The President’s actions and complicity have emboldened many of his officials, not least the Vice President, Alhaji Bawumia whose name has come up in multiple corruption scandals such as the PDS scandal, the shady Gold-for-Oil deal, the Stolen Rice scandal and the appearance fee scandal, he added.