Give updates on ORAL, ‘galamsey’ …CSOs demand ahead of SONA

February 27, 2026

4 minutes read

President John Dramani Mahama presents his Second State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament today, expectations are high for a forthright and detailed account of his administration’s performance.

Ahead of the presentation, policy analysts and civil society actors have called for clear answers on 􀃁agship programmes, accountability measures and the direction of the economy.

BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY reports that a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), Mr Kwesi Jonah, has said he expects the President’s address to be comprehensive, given that he has now spent more than a year in office.

According to him, the SONA should provide clarity on key national issues, including the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy policy, Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), the 􀃀ght against illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), and the status of the Constitutional Review Committee’s report.

Mr Jonah made the remarks in an exclusive interview with The Ghanaian Times ahead of the President’s address.

He noted that the President’s 􀃀rst SONA lacked sufficient detail, largely because he had not had adequate time to roll out his policies and assess their impact. He, however, expressed optimism that the upcoming address would re􀃁ect on concrete actions, policy direction and measurable outcomes.

Mr Jonah expressed disappointment over delays in implementing the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Committee, despite earlier assurances from the President.

He also recalled that the committee, chaired by Professor Kwesi Prempeh, had submitted its report with the understanding that a Constitutional Review Implementing Committee would be established.

“So far, nothing has happened. We, therefore, expect the President to tell Ghanaians where we go from here,” he mentioned.

On Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), Mr Jonah stated that Ghanaians would be eager to hear updates, noting that no arrests had been made to recover allegedly embezzled state funds from public of􀃀cials and political actors.

He recalled that the National Democratic Congress (NDC), during the 2024 general election campaign, promised to retrieve misappropriated state funds if voted into of􀃀ce.

“The government has been in office for a year, yet no individual has been apprehended. This makes ORAL a critical issue that must be addressed in the SONA,” he underlined.

Touching on illegal small-scale mining, Mr Jonah observed that despite government interventions, the menace continued to pose serious environmental and livelihood challenges, particularly for rural communities, and called for intensi􀃀ed and sustained action.

He further stressed the need for clarity on the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy policy, noting that President Mahama would not be eligible to contest the 2028 general election. According to him, effective implementation and clear communication of the policy were essential if it was to deliver meaningful economic transformation.

Similarly, Policy think tank IMANI Ghana, in a statement copied to The Ghanaian Times, outlined 20 key commitments it expects the President to address in the SONA.

These include clearing energy sector debts, eliminating the $300 million poultry import bill through the Nkoko Nkitinkiti programme, granting a 20 per cent allowance for rural teachers, and bringing perpetrators of the National Service Scheme (NSS) scandal to justice.

In a related development, LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU reports that the Chairman of the Abokobi Local Branch of the National Pensioners Association, Mr Francis Gokah, has urged the President to use the address to reassure Ghanaians that their mandate was not misplaced and that a brighter future lay ahead.

Mr Gokah said the President’s vision for the country closely re􀃁ected that of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and urged him to seize the opportunity presented by the SONA to meet the expectations of the electorate.

He acknowledged that the government had made some progress in fulfilling its campaign promises but stressed that more needed to be done to translate policy pronouncements into visible action.

According to him, the absence of concrete outcomes could reinforce public perception that campaign slogans were merely political rhetoric, a situation he said had contributed to the country’s current challenges.

Mr Gokah also expressed concern that the ORAL initiative appeared to be losing momentum, a development he warned could embolden perceived state looters.

“We, especially pensioners who have toiled and sacri􀃀ced for the country, are at the receiving end. The President must use today’s SONA to restore con􀃀dence by outlining a clear action plan and addressing the challenges hindering his efforts,” he emphasised.

He further urged the President to clearly explain the rationale behind the 24-Hour Economy policy and the bene􀃀ts it stood to offer the local economy if fully implemented, and called for the deployment of dedicated communicators to effectively engage the public and the grassroots.

The La Nkwantanang-Madina Constituency Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abdul Razak Hussein, noted that he expects the President to dwell more on provision of infrastructure and measures being put in place to improve upon cost of living as most traders have refused to heed the call for prize reduction of goods and services, even though the dollar rate and food in􀃁ation is stable.

He indicated that government despite putting out several youth policies in all sectors of the economy, more interventions were needed to create jobs for the teeming youth, especially those with employable skills.

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