I won’t be surprised if Ukraine sues the NPP, because they have overexploited – Mahama Ayariga

Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of using the Russia-Ukraine war as a convenient excuse for Ghana’s economic struggles.

Speaking during the debate on the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Thursday, July 31, Mr. Ayariga said the NPP had exaggerated the effects of the war to cover up its own failings in governance.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Ukraine sues the NPP because they’ve overused the war as a scapegoat,” he remarked, drawing laughter from fellow MPs.

He further claimed that, in his view, the NPP and the government had benefitted more from the war than even Russia, which initiated the conflict.

The Bawku Central MP also referenced internal divisions within the NPP during the height of the economic downturn, noting that the Finance Minister’s performance was so poor that over 88 NPP MPs wanted him removed.

“I recall how badly things got. Even members of their own party wanted the Finance Minister out,” he said.

Mr. Ayariga criticized Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for attempting to minimize that history while praising the current cedi stability under the Akufo-Addo administration.

“I’m surprised to hear the Minority Leader try to erase that part of our economic story,” he said, emphasizing that the NPP’s record is marked by hardship, masked with excuses tied to global events.