President John Dramani Mahama has criticised the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration for what he described as the needless abandonment of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), saying the decision derailed efforts to close the development gap between northern and southern Ghana.

Speaking at the launch of the Ghana Infrastructure Plan (GIP) in Accra, President Mahama said the replacement of SADA with the Coastal, Middle Belt, and Northern Development Authorities was a non-strategic move that yielded no tangible results.

“You cannot progress as a nation when you have geographical imbalance in economic development. Setting up SADA as a special vehicle to accelerate development of the North was strategic.

"Unfortunately, a new government came, shut down SADA, and created three broad development authorities — coastal, middle belt, northern — which really have done nothing, absolutely no impact,” he stated.

The President explained that SADA had been designed as a long-term initiative to stimulate inclusive growth and curb north-to-south migration by promoting opportunities across the country.

He said the new Ghana Infrastructure Plan will prioritise continuity, coordination, and equitable distribution of projects nationwide, ensuring that future governments build on existing initiatives rather than abandoning them for political reasons.