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The latest International Monetary Fund Report that seems to suggest a positive growth outlook for the economy appears to have thrown the failed Mahama-led National Democratic Congress government a lifeline.

Granted that the report from the IMF is anything to go by, the question is whether or not the so-called “booming” economy reflects in the lives of the masses.

Ghana’s economy undoubtedly is on life support and this is accentuated by the resultant effect of extreme hardships imposed on Ghanaians by the Mahama administration, as well the sharp decline in the various sectors, especially agriculture and industry.

How can we have a booming economy when a report from the World Bank says that more than half of the youth are jobless?

President Mahama and functionaries of his government may tickle themselves and laugh, but they should know that the realities on the ground will always expose them.

No objective and discerning person will be convinced by this claim from the IMF when affording three square meals per day has become a major problem for many households. Foodstuffs are on the high side; electricity and water tariffs are unusually humongous; accessing healthcare has become a nightmare; many businesses keep collapsing; schools even can’t get chalk to for teachers to work with.

Ghana is not doing well under President Mahama. And that is why Head of the Finance Department at the University of Ghana Business School, Godfred Bokpin, believes the IMF report cannot be the basis to offer any hope to the nation.

According to him, the Ghanaian economy is performing below its potential, and that the 2016 provisional figures for 2016, which puts GDP growth at 3.9%, is not enough.

“It is not sufficient... So we have seen some growth but we have seen a bit of a jobless growth,” he stated.

The professor adds, "Given what government has said vis-a-vis the macro variables as at this time, it is very difficult to tout their achievement to the extent that very objective people can actually sympathize with," he said.

Edward Omane Boamah, Communications Minister, may be busily spearheading the trumpeting the ‘unfelt’ achievements of President Mahama.

But the verdict out there, supported by evidence on the grounds, is that President Mahama has failed Ghanaians. And it will not take Reports from the IMF to change the situation, and win the hearts of the masses for the government.

Ghanaians can’t be deceived anymore. The indicators on the ground show that their plight keeps worsening under the Mahama government. And what offers them any hope is the prospect of a change in government when they go to the polls at the end of the year.