Ghanaian Lawmaker Demands Urgent Action on Rising Cost of Living

By Elvis Andoh 
A senior Ghanaian opposition lawmaker has decried the growing economic pressures confronting ordinary citizens, as the country faces persistent unemployment and rising living costs.

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofoase/Ayirebi in the Eastern Region and a leading figure in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), urged Parliament to urgently address these issues and move beyond partisan confrontation.

The lawmaker made the call on Tuesday following the resumption of the second session of the Ninth Parliament.

In a statement, he cautioned that the legislature risks becoming “irrelevant” if it prioritises political theatre over substantive oversight and policy reform.

Oppong Nkrumah said citizens are more concerned about jobs, food prices, struggling businesses, and delayed payments to farmers than partisan exchanges in the chamber.

He criticised what he described as the growing reliance on “certificates of urgency” to fast-track legislation, arguing that the practice limits parliamentary scrutiny and reduces stakeholder engagement.

Among the priorities he outlined is a proposed parliamentary inquiry into the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, after reports indicated that more than half of candidates failed core mathematics. He described the development as a national concern with serious long-term implications for youth employability and skills development.

He also called for greater transparency over reported gold trading losses in 2025, insisting that the government must fully account for public financial setbacks.

On the economy, he pointed to rising manufacturing costs, noting that electricity tariffs have increased by approximately 26% over the past year. He warned that sustained cost pressures could undermine Ghana’s industrialisation drive and deepen reliance on imports.

Ghana, widely regarded as one of West Africa’s more stable democracies, has in recent years faced rising public debt, inflation, and mounting cost-of-living pressures.