President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that when he assumed office on January 7, 2025, Ghana was in a dire state, grappling with a fragile economy and a governance system on the brink of collapse.
Speaking during his three-day official state visit to Zambia, where he engaged with members of the Ghanaian community, President Mahama said the country’s condition required urgent and far-reaching interventions to halt further decline and restore stability.
Addressing the gathering, he reflected on the scale of challenges his administration inherited, noting that critical sectors such as health, education, and agriculture were in distress. He also highlighted Ghana’s worsening debt situation, which had weakened investor confidence and limited access to international financial support.
“We inherited a country that was sick. The economy was in crisis, and governance was in tatters. We had so many issues in health, education, and agriculture, and most of all, we had defaulted on our debt. Our debt to GDP had risen above 100%, and nobody wanted to lend to Ghana again.
“So we fought the election and said our objective was to win power and reset Ghana in all sectors. I likened it to resetting a computer to work properly again,” he said.
President Mahama explained that these realities shaped the message and focus of his 2024 election campaign. He emphasised that his administration was candid with Ghanaians about the need for a comprehensive overhaul, stressing that quick fixes would not be sufficient to restore stability and growth.
According to the President, his return to office was motivated not only by the desire to win political power but by a clear mission to fundamentally reset and revive Ghana’s economy and institutions.
