The New Patriotic Party MP for Walewale, Dr Tia Kabiru, says early praise for the government’s economic performance should be treated with caution.

He argues that “year one praise is cheap” and that the real test will come in years two and three.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Dr Kabiru acknowledged that the economy has recorded gains, saying “to be blunt, the economy has achieved some successes” and that managers of the economy deserve credit.

He was quick, however, to question claims of novelty, asking whether such outcomes are unprecedented in a government’s first year and answering in the negative.

The MP warned against creating the impression that the current performance is unique, noting that Ghana has seen similar optimism before.

He recalled the first year of the NPP administration in 2017, when economic indicators also triggered widespread excitement.

According to him, the 2017 experience delivered strong growth, a primary budget surplus, and positive macroeconomic signals, all under an IMF-supported programme.

Dr Kabiru said the public mood at the time was even stronger than it is now.

He cited Afrobarometer figures, saying approval ratings for the president at the end of the first year in 2017 stood at 70 per cent, compared with about 67 per cent now.

The MP stressed that this comparison does not diminish current gains but puts them in perspective.

Dr Kabiru argued that any honest assessment of today’s recovery must first recognise the role of the IMF programme.

He described it as “the big man in the house,” saying it has served as the anchor driving fiscal discipline and macroeconomic stability.

He warned that without the programme, Ghana could easily slide back into fiscal indiscipline. For that reason, he said the president and the finance minister deserve commendation for their commitment to the programme.

At the same time, he said the previous government must also take credit, since it initiated the programme that continues to shape current outcomes. He cautioned against attributing all gains solely to the present administration.

Dr Kabiru maintained that the real judgment should not be based on first-year recovery but on sustainability.

He said the economy’s true standing will only be known once the country enters the second and third years of implementation.

The MP concluded that praise at this stage should be temporary, not permanent, insisting that only time will reveal whether the current recovery can be sustained or whether the optimism will fade, as it has before.