Former Minister of Agriculture under the Akufo-Addo administration and NPP flagbearer hopeful, Dr Bryan Acheampong, has made a surprising claim regarding the exchange rate the New Patriotic Party (NPP) allegedly left behind.
While on his campaign tour of the Ashanti Region, the former minister’s remarks have raised eyebrows especially considering his position as a former cabinet member in the Akufo-Addo government and his current bid to lead the party.
The claim
Speaking at Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region, Dr Bryan Acheampong launched a scathing attack on former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, asserting that under Bawumia’s watch as Vice President and head of the government’s Economic Management Team, the NPP and the Akufo-Addo administration left the exchange rate at 17 cedis to a dollar.
His remarks targeting both his own party and a government in which he served as a cabinet minister have sparked public debate, with many questioning how such a claim could come from a senior figure within the same administration.
The verdict
The claim by Dr Bryan Acheampong that the NPP and the Akufo-Addo government left the dollar at GH¢17 is false.
The NPP handed over power to the NDC on January 7, 2025, which fell on a public holiday.
On the first working day of the new administration, the exchange rate stood at GH¢14.6 to one US dollar, according to Bank of Ghana records.
In fact, Bank of Ghana data shows that at no point during the Akufo-Addo administration did the exchange rate reach GH¢17 to a dollar, directly contradicting Bryan Acheampong’s claim.
