Akufo-Addo Delivers Final State Of The Nation Address Today As He Prepares To Leave Office

• President Nana Akufo-Addo will deliver a State of the Nation Address to Parliament later on January 3, 2025
• The President's State of the Nation Address is in line with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution
• The January 3 address serves as the president’s concluding report on the nation as he vacates office

President Nana Akufo-Addo will deliver his final State of the Nation Address to Parliament on January 3, 2025.

This address will come as the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic will be officially dissolved on Monday, January 6, 2025

The upcoming address is in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution.

Akufo-Addo will be leaving office with a tattered legacy. The consensus is that he is leaving Ghana worse than he found it when he took over from John Mahama in 2017.

This was underscored by the devastating defeat the New Patriotic Party suffered in the 2024 election.

Read also

"It’s Not New": Asamoah Gyan advises John Mahama to refine 24-hour policy

Akufo-Addo promised to turn Ghana’s economic fortunes around, boosting industrialisation while combating corruption and stemming environmental degradation from illegal mining.

Though Akufo-Addo claims he has laid a strong foundation for socio-economic development, Ghana is now plagued by rising unemployment, a struggling industrial agenda and environmental crises.

The country's democratic credentials also suffered and declined under Akufo-Addo, according to trends from various surveys.

Notable promises from Akufo-Addo, such as the One District, One Factory (1D1F) and the Planting for Food and Jobs, did not yield the desired results.

Under Akufo-Addo's second term, many suffered through debt defaults, a weakening currency, high inflation and an eventual $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.

Ghana launched a domestic debt exchange on December 5, 2022, which included $55 billion in public debt.

For example, the Bank of Ghana lost GH¢55.12 billion due to haircuts that its investments suffered under the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).

Read also

Black Stars coach Otto Addo receives high marks from GFA insider: "He's doing well"

Under the domestic debt exchange, local bonds will be exchanged for new ones maturing in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2037.

The haircuts notably prompted protests and agitation from pensioners, including former chief justice Sophia Akuffo.

Afrobarometer noted that many Ghanaians experienced some poverty in the past year and suffered shortages of necessities such as food and clean water amid a cost-of-living crisis.

Going into the election, polls and surveys showed that most citizens rated the Akufo-Addo government’s economic performance negatively.

Mahama's vow to rescue Ghana

YEN.com.gh reported that Mahama urged Ghanaians to prepare for a difficult recovery as he assumes office.

The president-elect stressed that restoring the economy was daunting and required a collective effort of Ghanaians.

According to Mahama, who was president before, Ghana was in an abyss created by Akufo-Addo's governance.

Proofread by Samuel Gitonga, Copy Editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh