A development economist Dr. Sam Ankrah has criticised President Nana Akufo-Addo for failing to touch on pragmatic steps his government will take to return the economy on track while delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Akufo-Addo addressed the nation in parliament last Wednesday as the constitution demands but Dr Ankrah believes the president went to the law-making chamber and “sang praises to a mediocre and painful past, instead of setting steppingstones into the nation’s future.”

Dr Ankrah, an independent presidential aspirant, in a reaction to the address of the president highlighted how Ghanaians have been impoverished for the past 30 years under the leadership of the NPP and NDC who make the citizens believe that they have transformed the country whereas the economy keeps struggling.

In his description of the SONA, Dr Ankrah indicated, ” As usual, this SONA made a mockery of our bitter and bleak economic circumstances by gaslighting Ghanaians to accept the illusion that, our lives and livelihoods are far better off – in direct opposition to the harsh realities we wake up to every day.”

He chastised the Minority, saying their response was “nothing but a playful walk over the address, instead of laying building blocks for our future.”

Below is his statement;

DR. SAM ANKRAH’S REACTION TO THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS

Typical of the NPP-NDC Administrations for the past 30 years, this year’s State of the Nation Address sang praises to a mediocre and painful past, instead of setting stepping stones into the nation’s future.

As usual, this SONA made a mockery of our bitter and bleak economic circumstances by gaslighting Ghanaians to accept the illusion that, our lives and livelihoods are far better off – in direct opposition to the harsh realities we wake up to every day.

Again, as usual, the opposition’s response has been nothing but a playful walk over the address, instead of laying building blocks for our future.

Worse still, in the coming weeks, Ghanaians will be subjected to a free-for-all drinking-bar-styled parliamentary banter, which amounts to no change at all in the woeful plight of Ghanaians:

Our healthcare systems would remain chronically impaired, our children’s education and future would remain uncertain, and our youth’s unemployment status gets more depressing year after year, with some remaining jobless 5 painful, wasted years after leaving school, because there’s zero effort by those at the helm of affairs towards mass industrialization. And as at our 66th independence anniversary, just a couple of days ago, we’re in deep prayers, sheepishly awaiting loan approval from our long-time creditors.

Yet, at the end of it all, two situations shall be guaranteed:

(1) The NPP-NDC would pay themselves in full, their huge ex-gratias, in addition to all that they’re enjoying with their families and allies now;
(2) Our situation would remain unchanged or even worse.

The time to wrestle our independence from the self-serving NPP-NDC fraternity is long overdue. They should NOT be the ones leading our nation into our 70th post-independence milestone.
We are exhausted!
We are tired!
We are worn out!
We want out of this painful, empty relationship!
Enough Is Enough!