"Give to Bawumia His Due": Afenyo-Markin Slams Mahama for "Sloganized" SONA | Discuss Ghana

Following President John Dramani Mahama’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Friday, February 27, Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin issued a blistering response, accusing the President of taking credit for policies pioneered by the previous administration.

The Effutu MP specifically highlighted the Gold-for-Reserve policy, asserting that it was the "brainchild" of former Vice President and current NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

---

"Give to Bawumia What Belongs to Him"

Afenyo-Markin argued that the economic gains touted by the President—including improved GDP growth and fiscal stability—were built on the foundation of the Gold-for-Reserve and Gold-for-Oil initiatives.

The "Brainchild" Argument: "Our elders say give credit where credit is due," Afenyo-Markin stated. "The gold-for-reserve policy... the Bawumia they attacked is the brainchild of this policy. I would want to urge the government: give to Bawumia what belongs to Bawumia".

Policy Success: He noted that these innovative barter and reserve-building strategies were designed by Bawumia to stabilize the Cedi and manage the balance of payments crisis long before the current administration took office.

Lack of Acknowledgment: The Minority Leader criticized President Mahama for "failing to inform Ghanaians" about the origin of these strategies while benefiting from the resulting economic buffers.

---

Critique of the 2026 SONA: "Slogans over Action"

Beyond the issue of credit, Afenyo-Markin dismissed the President’s address as a collection of slogans that failed to address the "harsh realities" facing Ghanaians in 2026.

Electricity Tariffs: He highlighted that while the President spoke of a "bright Ghana," electricity tariffs have "skyrocketed," placing an immense burden on households and businesses.

Unemployment: The Minority Leader alleged that thousands of Ghanaian youths have been "dismissed" or remain unemployed despite the government's job creation claims.

"Tribe Net" Scandal: In a major revelation, Afenyo-Markin alleged that a scandal is looming within the security services recruitment process involving a company known as "Tribe Net".

---

The "True State of the Nation"

Afenyo-Markin announced that the Minority Caucus will not let the President's narrative go unchallenged.

Counter-Address: The Minority will present what they call the "True State of the Nation" on Monday, March 2, 2026.

Objective: This presentation aims to provide a data-driven rebuttal to the President’s claims and highlight the specific areas where the "Resetting Ghana" agenda is reportedly failing.