President Nana Akufo-Addo will deliver the first State of the Nation address in his second term on Tuesday amid high expectations of a return to normality as the Covid-19 vaccination campaign enters its second week.

Ghana’s economy has been projected to grow at 4.2 percent this year by the International Monetary Fund, but the forecast hinges on further relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions to support a recovery in economic activities, especially in the sectors worst-affected by the pandemic.

The President is expected to announce a raft of measures and strategies to accelerate the post-pandemic recovery, support private sector growth, and consolidate gains made in his first term.

As he did at the commencement of his first term four years ago, the President is likely to affirm his commitment to delivering his 2020 manifesto promises, which include increasing investment in infrastructure, the highlight of which is the pledge to construct 111 new hospitals, and boosting job creation through industrialisation.

Analysts have expressed concern, though, over the large public debt stock and the burden of debt service payments on the government’s budget, challenges which could hamper the delivery of President Akufo-Addo’s ambitious second-term programme.

Nevertheless, the President is likely to express confidence in his administration’s policies to address these problems as well as implement planned new investments in social and economic infrastructure.

President Nana Akufo-Addo faces an arduous task in his second term due to the devastating effects of the pandemic.