As part of efforts to shepherd Ghana’s economy to the ‘promised land’, President John Dramani Mahama has unveiled a new high-level economic advisory group to play a critical advisory role to support his administration.
The 13-member group, dubbed “President Advisory Group on the Economy” (PAGE) is a pool of distinguished Ghanaian individuals considered to be brainy trust, experienced with deep expertise, and independent, believed to hold the key to a steady and strong Ghanaian economy.
In a statement issued by the Presidency on Thursday, January 15, 2026, Minister for Government Communications, Felix Ofosu-Kwakye, maintained that the advisory body is designed to help steer macroeconomic policy, support fiscal discipline, and drive job-rich, inclusive growth.
The move signals a return to ideas-led governance, at a time when Ghanaians are demanding not just policies, but results.
The Core Mandate of PAGE
Since it is just an advisory group, PAGE will operate as a high-level advisory council reporting directly to the President, who is the chair, offering independent, non-partisan, and strategic economic advice.
Its mandate is broad but focused. The group will advise on macroeconomic management, debt sustainability, and how fiscal and monetary policies can better work together. It will also provide guidance on industrial development, competitiveness, export-led growth, private-sector expansion, and sustainable job creation.
PAGE is also expected to support the design and sequencing of flagship government initiatives such as the 24-Hour Economy and the Accelerated Export Development Programme, while periodically assessing economic performance and recommending course corrections where necessary.
To put it simply, PAGE exists to help the President make better economic decisions before problems escalate.
The Composition
Chaired by President Mahama himself, PAGE includes Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, seasoned economists, former finance ministers, former central bank governors, private-sector leaders, academics, and market regulators.
Among them are Dr. Kwabena Duffuor and Dr. Henry A. Kofi Wampah, both former Governors of the Bank of Ghana; Sir Samuel Esson Jonah, a respected industrialist; Dr. Ishmael Yamson and Kwame Pianim, long-time private sector and policy voices; and Ms. Abena Amoah, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Stock Exchange.
Nana Oye Mansa Yeboah, former deputy minister for both Finance and Trade, and Togbe Afede XIV, an economist and private leader, are also members of PAGE.
From academia, Prof. Priscilla Twumasi Baffour and Prof. Patience Aseweh Abor will also be serving in the group.
How Page Differs from Past Economic Teams
Unlike the Economic Management Team (EMT) under previous administrations, which was largely made up of serving ministers and government officials with executive authority, PAGE is explicitly advisory and independent.
It does not replace the Finance Ministry or the Cabinet. Instead, it sits above the bureaucracy, offering strategic oversight, long-term thinking, and external perspectives that may not always emerge from day-to-day government operations.
Supporters say this structure allows for freer thinking and less political pressure. Critics worry it could blur lines of responsibility.
The Call for Economic Coordination
Prior to this announcement, a concern has been voiced by former Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who has argued that Ghana needs more than advisory groups.
He believes that just as football teams have technical teams to coordinate the affairs of players on the field, the country needs a proper economic coordination team backed by law, not just presidential discretion.
In his view, without a statutory mandate, such advisory bodies risk becoming a failure just like past advisory groups and economic teams.
The Bottomline
For now, the critical question is, Will PAGE’s advice translate into action, or will it remain a well-intentioned forum whose recommendations can be ignored without consequence?
But one thing is clear that President Mahama’s administration wants to lean on experience, evidence, and strategic thinking as it pursues its reset agenda.
Whether this 13-member advisory group becomes a quiet force shaping Ghana’s economic turnaround, or another layer in an already complex governance structure, will depend on how seriously its advice is taken.
