Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, has reaffirmed that the John Mahama-led government is not spending lavishly.
The Minister in charge of Government Communications noted that the Mahama administration is spending on critical sectors.
Kwakye Ofosu further fingered the former Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration of fiscal indiscipline, which was to blame for Ghana’s economic downturn.
According to Kwakye Ofosu, the overspending by the Akufo-Addo Bawumia-led government led to Ghana’s financial crisis.
Speaking to a Journalist at the Africa-Singapore Business Forum on Monday. August 25, Kwakye Ofosu stated, “One of the problems that precipitated the economic decline in the very recent past under the NPP was fiscal indiscipline, the tendency to live outside of our means and spend more than we earn”.
“We are not spending beyond our means, we are not spending lavishly. We are spending on critical sectors,” he emphasised.
He further added, “Look at the delegation that came here, they are just 3 or 4 ministers of state. But if I show you the delegations that followed President Akufo-Addo around when he travels, you’d be amazed. All of these add up to the cost of running government”.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama arrived in Singapore to begin the second leg of his two-state visit.
His three-day state visit to Singapore is aimed at strengthening Ghana’s bilateral cooperation, expanding trade and investment.
Also, to advance partnerships in education, science and innovation, urban solutions, agribusiness, and the digital economy.
Mahama is expected to hold bilateral discussions with the President of the Republic of Singapore, H.E. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and the Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong.
He is also scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the 8th Africa–Singapore Business Forum (ASBF) and headline a Ghana country-specific Investment and Business Forum on August 26, and to sign some bilateral agreements.
John Mahama, on his arrival, stated, “Ghana and Singapore share a forward-looking outlook anchored in innovation, skills, and enterprise. This visit will translate our shared values into practical cooperation, bringing Singaporean investment and know-how into Ghana’s priority sectors while opening new pathways for Ghanaian businesses across Southeast Asia.”
President Mahama was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, an Advisor and Special Aide to the President and Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare.
In addition, Ablakwa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has announced that President Mahama’s working visit to Japan and participation in TICAD 9 have delivered remarkable and tangible outcomes for Ghana.
Ablakwa, in a post on X, listed eight key accomplishments. He wrote, “ 1. Volivo to Dorfor Adidome Bridge across the Volta River has been revived. Both nations commit to immediately provide the additional funding required;
2. Kumasi inner city ring way project to commence shortly;
3. New agreement signed with Toyota to expand its operations in Ghana and make Ghana its West African hub;
4. Groundbreaking space agreement signed with Japan to leverage space science for Ghana’s development;
5. Ghana to benefit from training of a targeted 300,000 youth in AI, modern agriculture, green transition, tech-startups, and biotechnology;
6. Special cooperation anchored on latest scientific research to boost rice production in Ghana and attain food security;
7. US$100million secured for new agricultural projects;
8. Arranged a strategic industrialization partnership with Japan as Japan considers investing a dedicated US1.5billion in Africa in the short term”.
Ablakwa added, “Ghana is back on the global stage to inspire and strike strategic partnerships for our collective progress.
Ghana-Japan relations couldn’t be better, 98 years after Noguchi sacrificed his life for the extraordinary love he had for our nation”.