The chairman of Ghana’s governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has criticised the previous Akufo-Addo administration, saying it borrowed more money than any government in the country’s history while delivering little in terms of development.
Speaking at a party gathering in the Asunafo North constituency in the Ahafo Region, Mr Asiedu Nketia said the scale of borrowing under the former administration was unmatched but argued that the impact of the loans was not evident on the ground.
He said the current Mahama-led government was committed to accountability and would ensure that any public official found to have misused state funds was made to refund the money.
Mr Asiedu Nketia also highlighted President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to decentralise recruitment into the security services, describing it as a move aimed at promoting fairness and transparency.
According to him, recruitment exercises were conducted in all regional capitals this year, rather than being concentrated in a few locations.
“The amount of money borrowed under the Akufo-Addo government is the largest in Ghana’s history, yet there is little to show for it,” he said. “We will track where the money went.”
He warned that individuals who misappropriated public funds should be prepared to return them, adding that while the settlement of some debts was welcome, responsibility for the borrowing lay with the previous administration.
Mr Asiedu Nketia said funds obtained in earlier years could have been used to significantly improve infrastructure and public services, stressing that the government was determined to clamp down on corruption.