President John Dramani Mahama has highlighted Ghana’s rapid economic recovery under his administration while calling on the United Nations to embark on a structural transformation of its own.
Speaking at the 80th UN General Assembly on Thursday, September 25, the President outlined the strides Ghana has made in stabilizing its economy and restoring citizens’ confidence.
“When I assumed office in January, our currency, the Ghana cedi, was rapidly depreciating, faced with rising inflation, a huge debt burden, and low morale amongst our citizens,” Mahama recalled. “My new administration settled down quickly and embarked on an ambitious programme of comprehensive transformation designed to restructure Ghana’s economic foundation and enhance our competitive standing globally. We refer to this process of recalibration as our Reset Agenda.”
According to him, the initiative’s results have been remarkable in just eight months. Inflation dropped from 23.8% in December 2024 to 11.5% in August 2025, while the cedi has seen a strong rebound. “Bloomberg reported it as the best-performing currency in the world at one point,” Mahama noted, adding that investor confidence is rising, reflected in Ghana’s improved sovereign credit rating.
The President also pointed to his government’s flagship 24-hour economy initiative, which he described as a key driver of Ghana’s long-term transformation. Beyond the numbers, he stressed that Ghanaians are regaining faith in leadership: “There is a renewed willingness amongst our people to trust that their elected officials have Ghana’s interests at heart and that we are progressing together.”
Mahama then drew a parallel between Ghana’s economic reset and the need for reform within the United Nations. “Madam President, I believe that, in honour of this milestone celebration, the United Nations should also embark on a process of serious recalibration and establish its own Reset Agenda,” he urged.
He reminded delegates that the UN of today faces a vastly different world from its founding era in 1945. “In 1945, the sun had not yet set on the largest empire in history. The most common mode of international travel was by sea. The personal computer had not been invented, let alone made portable. And television, a new convenience, was still in its infancy, albeit in black and white.”
Reflecting on his own political journey, Mahama likened his return to office in 2025 after an eight-year gap to awakening from a “Van Winkle-style sleep.” If just eight years could bring such dramatic change, he argued, then the 80 years since the UN’s founding demand nothing less than a bold rethink of the institution’s role and relevance.
With Ghana’s economic revival as a backdrop, Mahama’s message to the world body was clear: just as Ghana is rebuilding confidence and setting a new course, so too must the UN reset itself to meet the demands of a fast-changing world.
