As Ghanaians ushered in the New Year, President John Dramani Mahama used his first address of 2026 to laud his administration’s achievements while lau
As Ghanaians ushered in the New Year, President John Dramani Mahama used his first address of 2026 to laud his administration’s achievements while launching a pointed political attack against the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
However, critics argue that the President’s message failed to address unfulfilled promises by his own government, particularly the ambitious 24-hour economy initiative that has yet to see implementation.
In his nationwide broadcast, Mahama reflected on the first year of his administration, claiming that Ghana is “rising again” after inheriting an economy in distress.
He highlighted reductions in inflation, stabilization of the cedi, growth in key sectors such as construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and services, and increasing domestic and foreign investments.
These achievements, he said, have been part of the government’s broader “Reset Agenda,” aimed at restoring public trust and boosting the international image.
Yet, analysts note a striking omission in the President’s address: the promised 24-hour economy, which was a major plank of the NDC’s campaign ahead of the 2025 elections, has not been implemented.
The initiative, presented as a formula to generate jobs for Ghanaian youth, appears to have remained largely aspirational. Meanwhile, hundreds of young Ghanaians employed under the Akufo-Addo administration were reportedly removed from their positions shortly after the NDC took office.
The President, in his address, shifted responsibility for unemployment and economic challenges onto the NPP. “We inherited a nation in distress,” Mahama said, emphasizing the need to restore opportunity for the youth.
Critics, however, argue that it was the NDC that promised immediate youth employment and a functioning 24-hour economy upon taking office, yet failed to deliver within its first year.
Political analysts have described the situation as a classic case of policy overreach without follow-through.
The 24-hour economy, initially billed as a job-creation “formula 3 shirts” policy, has yet to create any tangible employment opportunities. Instead, young Ghanaians laid off from NPP-era jobs now face uncertainty, while the government continues to outline ambitious programs for 2026, including social housing, digitalized education, renewable energy, universal health coverage, and agricultural modernization.
Despite these criticisms, Mahama used the New Year message to appeal to Ghanaians to participate actively in nation-building.
He addressed young people as “leaders of today,” urged entrepreneurs to invest in local businesses, and called on civil society, traditional authorities, and the diaspora to support national development.
He also emphasized Ghana’s role on the global stage, citing the Accra Reset Initiative as a framework for reshaping global governance and Africa’s place within it.
Observers suggest that while Mahama’s government has recorded some macroeconomic gains, the failure to implement the 24-hour economy and the sacking of youth employed under the NPP risks undermining the President’s narrative of renewal.
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