Former Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, has cautioned against what he describes as unfair comparisons between the current NDC administration and the previous NPP government, urging Ghanaians to approach such analyses with rationality and perspective.
In an interview monitored by MyNewsGH, NAPO argued that the NDC’s short stay in power so far does not offer enough grounds for meaningful comparison with the NPP, which governed for eight years.
“So let’s allow rationality to start sinking in and we will see, then we’ll be able to compare governments. You can’t compare a government that has been in office for seven months to a government that is in the office for four years,” he said.
Citing economic developments, he referenced recent comments made by the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to back his point on the complexity of national governance and the economic groundwork laid by successive administrations.
“You heard the governor of the central bank said that the enormity of the work that was done in gold reserves has contributed to the boyars. I didn’t hear that though. He said it. So things have happened in every government and that gives you positive,” NAPO noted.
He went further to highlight moments in past administrations when the Ghana cedi performed exceptionally well on the global scale.
“At a certain time in another government, the cedi was the best currency in the world, right? Which year was this? I don’t care what the Samidian visa, there are videos,” he responded, brushing off doubts about the claim.
On the recent appreciation of the Ghana cedi, NAPO welcomed the development but expressed concern that it has not reflected in the pricing of goods and services.
“Now, you see how the donor is appreciated. Everybody seems to be happy. Are you not happy? Everybody seems to be happy, but look at the both sides of the equation. The dollar, the cedi has appreciated something by 34 percent, right? The dollar has come down,” he pointed out.
Yet, he questioned the practical impact of the currency gain on everyday life.
“If you tell me, I’m very, very happy, but if goods and services that were priced when the dollar was 15 CEDs, the CED equivalent is now even higher than when the dollar was 15 CEDs,” he added, suggesting a disconnect between macroeconomic indicators and the reality on the ground.
