Former Information Minister and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Ofoase–Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has strongly criticised President John Dramani Mahama’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), describing it as largely empty rhetoric and “all settings.”
Speaking on Asempa FM’s flagship current affairs programme Ekosii Sen on Friday, Oppong Nkrumah questioned the credibility of several key claims made by the President in his address to Parliament on February 27, 2026.
In an interview with host Osei Bonsu, the former minister took particular issue with President Mahama’s assertion that his administration has created one million jobs. According to Oppong Nkrumah, the figure lacks transparency and verification, insisting it does not reflect the economic reality faced by many Ghanaians.
He labelled the claim—and much of the address—as “settings,” a term widely used in Ghanaian political discourse to suggest elaborate preparation, hype, or window dressing without tangible results.
Oppong Nkrumah further expressed skepticism about the government’s flagship initiatives, including the proposed 24-Hour Economy, energy sector improvements, and what the President described as an economic “reset.” He argued that these policies were presented more as promises and public relations messaging than as concrete, sustainable interventions backed by measurable outcomes.
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The NPP lawmaker also highlighted persistent challenges such as high electricity tariffs, which he said undermine industrial growth and job creation. He cautioned that without addressing these structural issues, the government’s ambitious programmes would struggle to deliver meaningful impact.
Drawing comparisons with President Mahama’s previous tenure, Oppong Nkrumah referenced past energy sector difficulties, including the dumsor power crisis, to question whether current assurances would translate into lasting solutions.
He concluded that while the SONA was rich in announcements and projections, it fell short on accountability and delivery. In his view, many of the achievements outlined were either inherited improvements or early-stage plans presented as successes—what he described as “settings for the future,” rather than evidence of transformative governance.