In a rare moment of bipartisan acknowledgment during the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin called on the government to recognize the foundational role of the “Gold-for-Reserve” policy in Ghana’s current economic recovery.
Addressing the House on Friday, the Minority Leader used a blend of local parlance to argue that the macroeconomic stability being touted by the Mahama administration was built on the architectural work of his predecessor.
Afenyo-Markin’s address centered on the tangible impact of exchange rate stability and inflation control.
“Macroeconomics ‘na ye be di'” (loosely translated as “It is the macroeconomics we will eat”), he suggested that sound fiscal indicators are the primary drivers of the country’s survival.
He argued that the current administration’s ability to manage the Cedi is a direct result of the Gold-for-Reserve (and previously Gold-for-Oil) programs initiated by former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
”The Gold-For-Reserve policy is the brainchild of former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,” Afenyo-Markin stated firmly. “Give to Bawumia what belongs to Bawumia.”
The policy, which leverages Ghana’s gold production to shore up foreign exchange reserves without relying solely on the US Dollar, was a cornerstone of the previous administration’s strategy to combat currency depreciation.
According to the Minority Leader, ignoring this contribution does a disservice to the continuity of governance.
He challenged the government to move past political optics and admit that the tools they are currently using to fix the economy were forged by the very man they once criticized.
Afenyo-Markin’s comment sparked an immediate debate on the floor of Parliament, with the Majority side insisting that their “intensified prosecutions” and “specialized teams” are the true catalysts for change, however, the Minority Leader remains adamant.
By 1960news.com
