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Zaato rates Mahama administration 60 percent on economy, urges caution in early praise
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A Senior Lecturer and political analyst at the University of Ghana, Dr Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, has given President John Dramani Mahama’s administration a 60 percent score for its economic performance, while cautioning against excessive praise in the first year of governance.
Speaking in an analysis of the economy, Dr Zaato explained that although current economic indicators show improvement, such performance is not unusual in the first year of a new administration.
He described the score as a high 60, noting that key indicators such as fuel prices and inflation have improved.
He acknowledged that the economic figures being highlighted by government officials are positive and visible, stressing that he would not deny the progress being recorded.
However, he urged the public to view the gains within a historical context.
According to him, every finance minister in Ghana since the year 2000 has recorded strong performance in their first year in office.
He referenced former finance ministers, including Yaw Osafo Maafo, Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, and Ken Ofori Atta, noting that they all enjoyed praise during their early years.
Dr Zaato recalled how Ken Ofori Atta received widespread admiration after his first budget presentation, with some commentators describing it as impressive and intellectually sound.
He explained that such early optimism is a pattern that has repeated itself over the years.
He warned that early success does not always reflect long-term strength, pointing out that by the third or fourth year, the real performance of finance ministers usually becomes clear.
He advised Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to ignore praise from what he described as bootlickers and sycophants.
Dr Zaato stressed that economic gains in the first and second years are often not new or extraordinary, as similar trends have occurred under previous administrations.
He cited past examples where strong beginnings later gave way to public dissatisfaction and calls for change.
He added that sustaining economic gains over time is the real challenge, not achieving short-term improvements.
He noted that even the President has recently acknowledged the need to protect early gains and avoid economic decline in later years.
Dr Zaato concluded that while the current economic performance deserves recognition, it should be assessed with patience and caution, as history has shown that long-term results matter more than early success.
By: Jacob Aggrey
About 120 golfers from clubs across Ghana participated in an 18-hole competition, dubbed ‘MTN 30th Anniversary CEO Invitational Golf Tournament’ held at the Achimota Golf Club on Saturday.
At the end of the hectic day, Frederick Semenu Duvor won the Men’s Group A event with 39 points, while Julienne Afi claimed the Ladies’ Group A title with the same score.
Yaw Mireku Jnr. won the Men’s Group B with an impressive 45 points, while Kous Louanges Mang took the Ladies’ Group B title with 38 points.
Kofi Mangesi won Men’s Group C with 40 points while Elorm R. Akuash Bonney claimed the Ladies’ version with 42 points.
In the Seniors Division, Jan Vogel emerged winner of the men’s category with 39 gross, while Helen Appah topped the ladies’ category with 44 gross.
Addressing participants, the company’s Board Chairman, Mr Ishmael Yamson, urged the company to approach its next phase with the same resilience, discipline and determination that have defined its success over the past three decades.
He drew a striking parallel between the game of golf and MTN Ghana’s three-decade journey, describing both as long games in which success depends less on one spectacular moment than on consistency, patience, judgment and the ability to recover from setbacks.
He said, golf had taught him a lesson that extended far beyond the fairways, thus, a round cannot be won on the first hole.
In golfing terms, he said, MTN Ghana had encountered its share of regulatory bunkers, competitive hazards and unexpected storms that had forced the company to pause, reassess and change its approach.
But those challenges, he suggested, were part of the journey rather than reasons to abandon it.
By Andrew Nortey
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The Chief of Staff, Mr Julius Debrah, has urged researchers to move beyond research findings and focus on translating knowledge and innovation into practical solutions.
According to him, applied research must identify societal needs and focus on producing solutions to address them.
He made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Ernest Brogya Genfi, Presidential Advisor on National Resilience and Emergency at the opening of the Second Applied Research Conference of Accra Technical University (ARCATU) in Accra.
The conference, held on the theme: ‘‘Applied Research and Innovation for Sustainable and Resilient Development in an Era of AI,” brought together researchers, academics, government representatives, industry practitioners and development partners.
“Our main challenge is moving these ideas into use. We must become better at taking knowledge from the university and placing it where it can make a difference,” Mr Debrah explained.
The Chief of Staff also urged stakeholders to harness artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly to support national development, stressing that the focus should be on using the technology to create value and improve the lives of citizens.
He said AI systems must protect personal information, respect citizens’ rights and take into consideration Ghana’s languages, culture and local circumstances.
He advocated partnerships that would provide students and researchers with practical training, access to equipment, mentorship and opportunities to work on real industry challenges.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of ATU, Prof. Felix Kutsenadzie, who opened the conference said AI had become an important tool in addressing emerging educational, social, environmental and economic needs, although its full potential was yet to be explored.
However, he cautioned that technology alone could not guarantee sustainable and resilient development, stressing that the impact of AI would depend largely on how humans developed, managed and applied it.
The Pro- Vice Chancellor explained that the rapid advancement of disruptive technologies had transformed the way people worked, learned, communicated and accessed healthcare, while also changing the conduct of research, business management and agriculture.
He encouraged participants to take advantage of the expertise available at the conference and establish professional networks and partnerships that could continue beyond the event.
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