The Chairman of the United Kingdom/Ireland Chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has chided President Akufo-Addo-led government for destroying the Ghanaian economy.

According to Alhassan Mbalba, the NPP government will go down in history as the worst administration to ever lead Ghana.

In a recent interview on London-based Omega Live TV, the NDC Chairman for the UK/Ireland chapter bemoaned the inability of the Dr. Bawumia-led Economic Management Team to address the free-fall of the Ghanaian cedi and the government's penchant for borrowing to finance recurrent budget without recourse to the health of the economy.

The Ghanaian economy has in recent times been severely battered.

Mr. Mbalba's comments come on the back of the recent weakening of Ghana's economic indicators, especially the depreciation of the cedi against the dollar.

Bloomberg reports describe the Ghanaian currency as the worst-performing against the dollar worldwide.

The cedi also lost further ground Friday morning (October 22, 2022) to trade at ¢14.70 to the dollar, quotations from the forex bureaus indicated.

He asserted the impact of the weakening cedi on importers who rely on the dollar to trade.

Again, the NDC stalwart called for the immediate dismissal of the Finance Minister for leading the country into a ditch.

He is of the opinion that the Finance Minister should have taken responsibility for the challenges faced in the economy and resigned with honour.

He cited the resignation of former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng MP, as a classical example for Ghana's finance minister to take cue from.

It showed clearly that Ghanaians as a country are now being run as a Ponzi scheme, where you promise people what you cannot deliver.

Chairman Mbalba buttressed the recommendation by President John Dramani Mahama for the head of Ken Ofori Atta to roll if indeed the Ghanaian economy was to see the light of day, especially with how the ratio of the national debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is over 90%.

The NDC Chapter Chairman, Mbalba, claimed Ghana is currently struggling to finance its recurrent expenditure and that one does not need a soothsayer to tell the country is on its knees and broke.

He further admonished the head of the Government Economic Management Team, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to eat a humble pie and admit he owes his predecessor, Paa Kwesi Amissah Attah, of blessed memory, an apology for undermining his persona through his deceptive public lectures in the run up to the 2016 elections.

"It's time Dr. Bawumia answers his 170 questions to former vice president Amissah Attah himself, if he has any integrity left. As the adage goes, when a bird stays too long on a tree, it attracts a stone, and when water is kept in a bottle for far too long, it begins to smell like a serious government," he indicated.

On the argument being made by the NPP government communicators regarding the global pandemic and the Russian/Ukraine war as the main justification for our current predicaments as a country, Chairman Mbalba stated emphatically that the economy of Ghana was already in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) even before COVID 19.

According to him, "The genesis of our current struggle originated from the decision of the president to make Data Bank, owned by his cousin, the finance minister, Ken Ofori Attah, as financial advisor for some of Ghana’s international loan transactions because the more we borrowed money ostentatiously, the richer Ken Ofori-Atta and his family became."

Touching on inflation in Ghana reaching 37.3%, the highest ever in two decades, the host, Mr. Kofi Cula, asked Chairman Mbalba what the NDC would do differently if they were in power.

Chairman Mbalba said at least the NDC would have been honest enough with Ghanaians and told them the truth about the economy and take responsibility, rather than attributing everything to a global pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine War.

He added that if the Ghanaian economy were resilient and with financial absorbers, the country would not have sunk to the level we are seeing now.

The flagship programmes of the NPP (Free SHS, 1D1F etc.), according to Chairman Mbalba, are now all dysfunctional and sick to the bone marrow.

Touching on the judiciary and some of the verdicts being delivered by the highest court of the land, Chairman Mbalba said the threat of contempt of court has now become the order of the day and has gradually opened the floodgates for our law courts to now be places where politically motivated judgements are read, yet Ghanaians are afraid to criticise.

On Galamsey, Chairman Mbalba said the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, is naked, and his government lacks the political will and moral authority to fight illegal mining.

He said the President and his appointees threw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians and pretended they were fighting the menace, and when everyone went to sleep, they destroyed the water bodies with their greed to amass so much wealth.

Chairman Mbalba also stressed that the level of hardship Ghanaians are being subjected to is actually becoming a threat to national security. Hence, President Akufo-Addo should at least listen to Ghanaians and go back to the drawing board again as his style of leadership is nothing to write home about.

In the upcoming NDC UK/Ireland Chapter elections, Chairman Mbalba hinted that he will be seeking re-election when nominations are opened.

He is optimistic that the electorate will vote overwhelmingly to retain him as Chairman for a second term based on his track record.

He cited the accelerated recruitment drive strategy through the opening of several branches across the entire UK, coupled with the Covid-19 Support Group setup during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to support members as key flagship programmes instituted by his administration, which the membership very much appreciated.

He wished all those vying for various positions the best of luck but admonished them to do so with the outmost respect to each other as the NDC has room for everyone whether win or lose.