Bawumia is a ‘prophet of pocket economy’ in opposition, ‘priest of paper economy’ in power – Prof Anankware

Professor Jacob Paarechuga Anankware, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of General Services at the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), has accused New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of being inconsistent in his assessment of Ghana’s economy.

The EPA official’s comments follow Dr Bawumia’s criticism of the government’s economic assessment during the NPP’s National Thanksgiving Service in Sunyani on Sunday, October 18.

Dr Bawumia described Ghana’s situation as a “tale of two economies”, distinguishing between the improving economic indicators reported by the government and the financial pressures he said ordinary Ghanaians continued to experience.

He argued that declining inflation and relative stability of the cedi had not translated into lower prices for goods and services or eased the cost of living.

Reacting to this, the EPA Deputy CEO said the former Vice-President, who defended economic indicators while serving under the Akufo-Addo administration, was now questioning the relevance of those same indicators under the current government.

Speaking on Accra-based Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show on Monday, October 19, Prof. Anankware said Dr Bawumia’s recent comments contradicted his own record as head of the Economic Management Team between 2017 and 2025.

“Bawumia is a prophet of the pocket economy only in opposition, but a priest of the paper economy when in power,” he said.

Prof. Anankware argued that Dr Bawumia had previously relied on economic statistics to defend the government’s performance despite public concerns over the cost of living, the depreciation of the cedi and rising inflation.

He cited the period when inflation reached 54.1 per cent in December 2022, arguing that the former Vice-President continued to defend the government’s economic record through official data.

“When he was Vice-President of this country and head of the Economic Management Team from 2017 to 2025, Ghanaians complained about the pocket economy, and he told them to look at the book economy,” he said.

Currently, Ghana’s year-on-year inflation rate stood at 5.2 per cent in September 2026, up slightly from 5.0 per cent in August, according to the Ghana Statistical Service.