President John Dramani Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama will present the maiden State of the Nation Address (SONA) of his second term on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, February 27, 2025, in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution.
This article mandates the president to deliver a message on the state of the nation to Parliament at the beginning of each session and before the dissolution of Parliament.
President Mahama is expected to touch on a number of key issues, including the ongoing IMF bailout program, security, and the cost of living, among others.
He is also expected to outline his policy objectives aimed at steering the country out of its current economic difficulties.
State of the Economy:
President Mahama will almost certainly address the state of the economy he inherited from the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration.
The president has already indicated that the country’s financial records looked worse than initially anticipated.
He is expected to present figures comparing the state of the economy he handed over to President Akufo-Addo and its current condition.
Galamsey (Illegal Mining):
President Mahama is also expected to speak about the country’s ongoing fight against illegal small-scale mining, popularly known as galamsey.
His administration has already begun cracking down on illegal miners operating in the country’s forest reserves and water bodies.
He is likely to highlight how the previous government allowed the menace to persist, leading to the destruction of vital water bodies and forests.
His Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has already stated that galamsey has destroyed an area equivalent to approximately 750,000 football fields of the country’s forest reserves.
Agenda 111:
President Mahama is expected to provide an update on the status of the Agenda 111 hospital project initiated by the Akufo-Addo government.
He will likely clarify how much of the project was completed by the previous administration and the funds required to complete the remaining hospitals.
Recently, he stated that Akufo-Addo’s government completed just one of the Agenda 111 projects and that about $1.7 billion is needed to complete the remainder. However, this claim has been contested.
Supporters of the previous administration have asserted that three hospitals were completed and that the remaining cost is $1.4 billion, not $1.7 billion.
Fight Against Corruption:
The president is also expected to address alleged corrupt activities under the previous government.
At a recent engagement with Organized Labour, Mahama stated that the economy was a “crime scene” and accused the Akufo-Addo administration of criminally mismanaging it.
Additionally, the preparatory committee for “Operation Recover All the Loot” (ORAL), which collected information on alleged misappropriation of state resources by the previous government, has submitted its report to the president.
President Mahama is likely to reveal some details from this report.
Dropping of cases against his former appointees:
President Mahama has faced criticism from some sections of the public over the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, dropping cases against former appointees of his first government. These individuals had been investigated by the Akufo-Addo administration.
The president is expected to address Dr. Ayine’s decision regarding the handling of these cases.
Free SHS and Trainee Allowances:
The president is expected to reaffirm his commitment to the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) program.
He will likely provide an update on the ongoing National Education Forum, which is evaluating the sustainability of the Free SHS program.
The forum is also assessing the long-term viability of allowances given to nursing and teacher trainees.
120-Day Social Contract with Ghanaians:
The president is also expected to provide an update on the 120-Day Social Contract he ‘signed’ with Ghanaians.
This contract includes 26 policies, programs, and actions he pledged to implement within the first 120 days of his administration. These include appointing his government, holding the National Economic Dialogue, and abolishing the E-Levy, COVID-19 Levy, and betting tax.
While the president has already fulfilled some of these commitments, several key promises remain outstanding.
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