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The National Democratic Congress has accused the ruling government of spreading falsehood with claims that the economy is in a bad state.

The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, in his first state of the Nation Address in Parliament Tuesday, indicated that he inherited a bad economy from the Mahama-led administration.

“Total projected expenditure for 2016 was GH¢43.9 billion (26% of GDP) but actual expenditure amounted to GH¢50.3 billion (30.2% of GDP). It appears, from what we are finding out, that some GH¢7 bn of arrears and outstanding payments circumvented public financial management system. The country’s debt, he said stands at 74% of GDP . . . As at the beginning of 2009, Ghana’s total debt stock was GH¢9.5 billion. By the end of 2016, the debt had ballooned to GH¢122 billion. Ghana’s debt stock now stands at 74% of GDP . . . In fact, 92% of Ghana’s total debt stock was incurred in the last eight years under the previous government,” the President said.

Speaking in an interview to Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, former Deputy Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson posited that it is untrue that the NDC left a bad economy.

“ . . the economy that the NDC left for the NPP was a strong economy,” he noted.

The former deputy Minister also wondered why President Akufo-Addo did not talk about inflation and rather concentrated on other aspects of the economy.

“Maybe he has foreseen that he will not be able to fulfill all his promises that is why he is making these excuses. He didn’t talk about inflation which as at January was 13.3%. My worry is that during the campaign inflation was heavy on their agenda but now they don’t want to talk about it; because it’s good for the economy, they’ve decided to keep quiet on it. I was really surprised when he said 122bn . . . and that 92 percent of the debt was created by the NDC government. I challenge them that the numbers cannot be the case. I am suggesting that the economy that the NDC left for the NPP was a strong economy . . . numbers don’t lie. At least he should have given former President John Mahama some credit,” he added.

Click the audio to listen to the full interview.