John Ntim Fordjour, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, has criticised the government’s claims that Ghana’s economy is improving, describing the supposed gains as largely cosmetic and disconnected from the realities facing ordinary citizens.
According to him, any genuine economic recovery should translate into tangible improvements in people’s daily lives. However, he argued that many Ghanaians continue to struggle with the high cost of living, casting doubt on official narratives about economic progress.
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Okay FM on March 7, 2026, Rev. Ntim Fordjour questioned the government’s assertions that inflation is declining and economic conditions are stabilising.
“If the gains are real, they should be felt in the pockets of the people. If inflation is said to be going down, then the prices of goods should also come down. But that is not the case,” he said. “If I have GH¢1,000 today and it cannot buy the things it used to buy, then what exactly is the government telling us?”
He also expressed concern about the challenges facing farmers, particularly cocoa producers, arguing that the situation in the sector contradicts claims of economic recovery.
According to him, many cocoa farmers have endured months of delayed payments despite the hardships involved in producing the crop. He said some farmers have been waiting up to four months to receive payment for their cocoa, forcing them to rely on loans to survive.
“After all the stress cocoa farmers have gone through, they have not been paid for months. They are borrowing money just to survive, which is worrying,” he said.
Rev. Ntim Fordjour further criticised the government’s handling of the cocoa sector, stating that the livelihoods of farmers and purchasing clerks have deteriorated.
He insisted that the government should be judged by the commitments it made to Ghanaian farmers and warned that citizens would ultimately hold the ruling National Democratic Congress accountable if those promises are not fulfilled.
