‘We Inherited a Sick Nation’ — Mahama Laments Economic Crisis, Governance Breakdown
President Mahama reveals Ghana faced a collapsed economy, failing institutions, and soaring debt, pledges to reset and revive the nation.
- President Mahama says Ghana was inherited with a fragile economy
- Key areas such as health, education, and agriculture were in severe distress, limiting development and investor confidence
- Mahama emphasizes his administration’s goal to fundamentally reform institutions and revive the economy
President John Dramani Mahama says his administration took over a nation in deep distress, revealing that Ghana’s economy and governance structures were in a fragile and deteriorated state when he assumed office in January 2025.
According to the President, the condition of the country at the time required urgent and far-reaching interventions to prevent further decline and stabilise key sectors of the economy and public administration.
President Mahama made the remarks during his three-day state visit to Zambia while engaging members of the Ghanaian community resident there. He used the platform to reflect on the circumstances under which his government assumed power and the scale of challenges it inherited.
He noted that Ghana was confronted with severe economic pressures and widespread difficulties across critical sectors, including health, education and agriculture.
The situation, he said, was worsened by the country’s debt crisis, which had weakened investor confidence and restricted access to international credit and financial support.
“We inherited a country that was sick. The economy was in crisis, and governance was in tatters. We had so many issues in health, education and agriculture, and most of all, we had defaulted on our debt. Our debt-to-GDP had risen above 100 per cent and nobody wanted to lend to Ghana again,” he stated.
President Mahama explained that these realities shaped his campaign message ahead of the 2024 general elections, noting that his objective was not only to win power but to rebuild and reset the country’s systems.
“So we fought the election and we said our objective was to win power and reset Ghana in all sectors, and I likened it to resetting a computer to work properly again,” he added.
He emphasised that his administration has been candid with Ghanaians about the depth of the challenges facing the nation, stressing that comprehensive reforms not short-term fixes are required to restore stability, rebuild institutions and revive economic growth.
