The only good thing NDC has done is amending the Holidays Act — Jerry Ahmed

The Member of Parliament for Weija Gbawe and Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government over what he describes as poor governance and worsening economic conditions.

According to him, since assuming office in January 2025, the only thing the John Mahama-led administration has gotten right is the move to restructure the country's holiday system.

The Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Act (Act 1142), which he singled out as the only positive policy intervention, was introduced in 2025.

Among other things, it restructured the country's public holiday calendar by reintroducing September 21 as Nkrumah Memorial Day and allowing mid-week holidays to be shifted to Fridays or Mondays.

Speaking on Accra-based Starr FM on Monday, April 27, Ahmed Shaib explained that the law’s practical value lies in improving productivity and work-life balance by reducing disruptions caused by mid-week holidays.

He argued that concentrating holidays around weekends allows workers to rest properly without breaking the working rhythm in the middle of the week, which he believes supports efficiency in both public and private sectors.

“That was great. I think that there was some thinking through that,” he said, while speaking in an interview on Accra-based Starr FM on Tuesday, April 27.

He contrasted this with what he described as a broader failure in governance, especially in the energy sector.

According to the lawmaker, the persistent outages in the country undermine major economic policy promises especially the 24-hour economy policy.

“There is nothing like 24 hour economy, when you cannot even keep the lights on for eight hours, let alone 12 hours, let alone 24 hours. This is how bad this government is,” he stated.

Ahmed Shaib also criticised government handling of public infrastructure, alleging that several state ambulances have been left in disrepair, which he says reflects wider inefficiencies in state management.