The Member of Parliament for Tema Central, Yves Hanson-Nortey, says President Akufo-Addo has been as honest as possible in explaining to the public where the country has come from and where it is headed.

According to him, the President has been consistent in explaining to the public how best the government has managed the economy.

"He did his best to be as honest as possible to the people of Ghana. You need to necessarily let the people know where we have come from and where we're going.

"You cannot come and give a State of the Nation Address on where you think we should be going only. You need to be able to have a holistic perspective. I think yesterday, he did his best to let us understand that," he said in an interview on JoyNews' AM Show on Thursday.

President Akufo-Addo delivered the 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Wednesday in Parliament. There have been mixed reactions to the address. The Minority Caucus in Parliament described the SONA as empty.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Murtala Mohammed while speaking on the same show, expressed indifference about the SONA.

He opined that the address did not reflect the realities of the country.

"I am scandalised that, I thought it was just ordinary Ghanaians who were hoodwinked into believing the pack of lies that the President peddled in the august house of Parliament.

"The reason why the State of the Nation Address is important is to help the citizens plan; plan in terms of their finances, plan in terms of their security and plan in terms of everything. So you must tell them the true state of the country regardless of how bitter that state is. The President was outrightly lying to the people of this country," he said.

President Akufo-Addo pointed out during the SONA for instance, that debts accumulated by previous governments have partly caused the current economic crisis.

However, Mr. Mohammed argued that the President's assertion is unacceptable.

According to the politician, the current government is responsible for the challenges facing the country currently, because it has borrowed about Gh₵ 480 billion, the highest by any government since independence.

He also explained that the previous administration cannot be held responsible for present economic crisis because it borrowed a total of about Gh₵120 billion by the end of its regime.

"The President says don't blame me, that I came and met debts. Isn't this a lie? You came and met a debt of Gh₵120 billion from independence. President Mahama came and met debt of a little over 80 billion. By the time President Mahama left office, he left a debt of a little over Gh₵120 billion. You took it now and we're getting to Gh₵600 billion. And you have the audacity without any shame to look into our faces and tell us that the problem I have is because I came and met debt. You have borrowed close to Gh₵500 billion," he explained.

Speaking on the President's statement on the COVID-19 funds, Mr. Mohammed argued that President Akufo - Addo's indication that the funds were not misused contradicts the report of the Auditor-General.

President Akufo-Addo on March 8, 2023, appeared before Parliament to give his State of the Nation Address (SONA). As the President of the nation, he is enjoined by Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution to address citizens on the state of the country.