NDC has turned around the economy with a few ‘boys’, not ‘men’ — Steve Manteaw

Political commentator and policy analyst Dr. Steve Manteaw has praised the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration for what he describes as a turnaround of the economy.

His comments come at a time when some economic analysts have praised the government for a relatively stable currency, reduced inflation, and overall macroeconomic stability.

Fitch Ratings has upgraded Ghana’s sovereign credit rating from B minus to B, citing strong fiscal consolidation and robust real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, with economists describing the move as a credible validation of the country’s economic recovery at a particularly difficult moment for the global economy.

According to him, the administration has been able to achieve results with “a few boys, not men.”

He also suggested that the administration has successfully transformed the economy with just 60 ministers.

“So it is possible to govern this country with less than 60 ministers and turn the economy around? This will be our new standard.

“The emphasis is on turning the economy around. It took a few ‘boys’ and not ‘men’ to achieve this feat,” he wrote in a social media post on Monday, May 11.

His reference to “a few boys and not men,” although indirect, is seen as a response to the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s claim that it had the “men” to transform the economy.

However, the Akufo-Addo-led administration was widely criticised for failing to stabilise the economy, with some analysts describing the period as one of the most challenging in recent history.

The Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led NPP administration was also heavily criticised for what opponents described as a bloated government structure.

The administration had over 120 ministers at various points, with critics arguing that it placed a significant burden on the country’s resources.