President John Dramani Mahama delivered a comprehensive account of his administration’s achievements during his first media encounter of his second term, presenting sweeping reforms across education, healthcare, economic management and anti-corruption efforts.
Speaking at the Jubilee House on September 10, 2025, the President addressed journalists in his first major public engagement since taking office eight months earlier, outlining what he termed a “national reset” agenda designed to restore Ghana’s economic stability and institutional integrity.
Economic Recovery and Stabilization
President Mahama reported dramatic improvements in Ghana’s economic indicators, with inflation dropping from 23.8 percent in December 2024 to 11.5 percent by July 2025, marking the lowest rate recorded since December 2021. The administration has achieved significant progress in exchange rate stabilization while reducing the cost of living for ordinary Ghanaians.
The President highlighted that official trade associations have documented price reductions across approximately 4,500 different market items, with businesses actively advertising these decreases. Ghana has maintained current status on all bond repayment obligations, earning an upgraded credit rating from S&P Global Ratings, which moved the country from junk status to B-minus with stable outlook.
Revolutionary 24-Hour Economy Initiative
Central to the administration’s job creation strategy is the ambitious 24-hour economy program, designed to boost productivity across multiple sectors. Cabinet has approved the 24-hour economy authority bill for parliamentary submission, while key institutions have already begun round-the-clock operations.
The Ghana Publishing Company has transitioned to full 24-hour operations, while the Passport Office and foreign missions now offer continuous services to expedite processing. Both Tema and Takoradi ports operate continuously to enhance trade efficiency and reduce congestion, supported by a dedicated 24-hour economy policing secretariat established within the Ministry of Interior.
Education Sector Transformation
The President announced the successful launch of the No-Fee Stress Policy, which has refunded fees for 120,000 first-year students in public tertiary institutions. This initiative forms part of the broader Student Loan Plus Policy, designed to ensure comprehensive financial support throughout students’ academic careers.
Free tertiary education for persons with disabilities has commenced implementation, removing critical barriers to higher learning. The administration has made the highest budgetary allocation to Free Senior High School in the policy’s history, dedicating 3.5 billion Ghana cedis while implementing decentralized feeding arrangements to improve meal quality.
Basic education received its largest budget allocation in nearly a decade, with 564.6 million cedis allocated specifically for textbooks to address long-standing resource challenges.
Research and Innovation Investment
The establishment of the Ghana National Research Fund with an initial 50 million cedis allocation represents a strategic shift toward intellectual sovereignty. The initiative aims to reverse the trend of foreign funding for domestic research, ensuring Ghana retains ownership of innovations produced by its academics.
The administration offers full scholarships annually to five PhD candidates at every university, while the One Million Coders Program trains thousands of young Ghanaians for digital economy opportunities.
Healthcare System Strengthening
Healthcare received unprecedented attention with a 13.4 percent budget increase, rising from 15.6 billion to 17.8 billion Ghana cedis in 2025. The National Health Insurance Scheme funding increased by 66 percent, from 5.9 billion to 9.8 billion cedis, following the uncapping of the National Health Insurance Levy.
To address the sudden withdrawal of $156 million in U.S. health aid, the government readjusted domestic expenditure priorities to maintain critical programs in malaria, HIV/AIDS and child health. Over 2 billion cedis has been allocated for healthcare infrastructure development between 2025 and 2028, including 200 million cedis in the current budget for hospital construction and modernization.
The Ghana Medical Trust Fund was launched to assist Ghanaians with chronic disease treatment costs, with the governing board receiving presidential approval.
Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery
Under the Operation Recover All the Loots initiative, over 200 cases remain under active investigation, with approximately 80 individuals interrogated. Several high-profile prosecutions have commenced, including the Republic v. Adu Boaheng case, where witness statements have been submitted and trial proceedings initiated.
The administration has established a Code of Conduct for Public Officials with strict compliance requirements, while a high-level working group develops a comprehensive anti-corruption strategy for institutional coordination.
Environmental Protection and Mining Reform
The fight against illegal mining has intensified through the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat, coordinating nationwide efforts against environmental degradation. Security agencies have seized 440 excavators and made over 1,400 arrests, while confiscating and destroying more than 300 chamfering machines.
Nine previously inaccessible forest reserves have been recovered from illegal miners, though recent re-invasions at Jemira Forest Reserve and Anriafutu shelter belts have prompted renewed military intervention. The administration plans to recruit 2,000 blue-water guards by year-end, with 90 personnel already deployed in Western and Savannah regions.
Gold trading has been restricted to Ghanaians only through Gold Board formalization, aimed at maximizing national benefits and ensuring wealth generated from natural resources supports community development.
Infrastructure and Development Programs
The Big Push program launches next week with sword-cutting ceremonies at three locations, focusing initially on road infrastructure improvement. Nearly 14 billion cedis from oil and gold revenues has been earmarked for the program, with chronically underfunded projects like Ofanko and Sawambu Roads receiving almost one billion cedis for completion by second quarter 2026.
Fiscal decentralization has been restored, with District Assemblies now receiving 80 percent of their Common Fund allocations directly, compared to the previous 40-50 percent. Of the 7.57 billion cedis allocated for District Assembly Common Fund, approximately 6.1 billion has reached local assemblies, with minimum allocations of 25 million cedis per Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly.
Energy Sector Developments
The Ministry of Energy has granted commerciality declaration for Eban Akuma oil and gas discoveries in Cape 3 Point’s Block 4, paving the way for full development by joint venture partners. A second gas processing plant approval will double national processing capacity, potentially saving 500 million U.S. dollars every two years while creating over 1,000 jobs.
The looming dumsor crisis inherited in January has been successfully averted through strategic interventions, ensuring stable power supply across the country.
The President concluded by reaffirming his commitment to transparency, accountability and economic recovery, expressing determination to restore Ghana’s position as a respected global actor while building foundations for future generations.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
