NPP’s economy was in a mess even before Russia-Ukraine war — Wonder Madilo

A member of the National Communication Team of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Wonder Madilo, has argued that Ghana’s economic challenges under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) predated the Russia-Ukraine war.

His comments come at a time when communicators of the NPP have cautioned the NDC administration against attributing any potential economic challenges to recent tensions in the Middle East.

According to communicators of the opposition party, blaming economic challenges on external factors would be inconsistent with the NDC’s earlier rejection of the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the economy.

Speaking on Accra-based JoyNews AM Show on Tuesday, March 31, Madilo asserted that the Russia-Ukraine war was not the primary cause of Ghana’s economic woes.

He argued that the economic situation was already fragile before the conflict began in 2022.

He further stated that attempts by the NPP to compare the Russia-Ukraine war with more recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are flawed and do not reflect broader economic realities.

According to him, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war should not be overstated in the context of Ghana’s inflationary trends and economic instability experienced prior to the conflict.

“Before the Russia-Ukraine war, the economy was already in a mess,” he said.

He stressed that inflation levels and fuel price volatility recorded under the previous administration demonstrated underlying structural weaknesses that could not be attributed solely to external global shocks.

The NDC communicator further noted that the impact of the recent military tensions in the Middle East, involving more than one country, could be significant.

He added that government would take steps to strengthen the economy in response to such external pressures.