Mahama’s Old Video Criticising Akufo-Addo Over GH¢100, GH¢200 Notes Resurfaces Amid Cedi Launch

An old video of President John Dramani Mahama criticising the Akufo-Addo government over the introduction of the GH¢100 and GH¢200 notes has now resurfaced onlineThe video has gained traction following the launch of the Bank of Ghana’s new Heritage Series, which includes redesigned versions of the two popular banknotesSpeaking at the time, the then-opposition leader questioned why the government would choose to print higher cedi denominations while promoting a cashless economy in GhanaPAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!

An old video of President John Dramani Mahama blasting the Akufo-Addo government over the GH¢100 and GH¢200 notes has resurfaced amid the launch of the new cedi notes.

An old video of President Mahama criticising the Akufo-Addo government over the GH¢100 and GH¢200 notes resurfaces amid the new cedi launch. Photo source: Akuffo Addo, Mahama, BoG. Source: FacebookThe Akufo-Addo administration introduced the GH¢100 and GH¢200 banknotes in late 2019. At the time, Mahama, who was then in opposition, criticised the decision at the 38th anniversary celebration of the 31st December Revolution in Winneba.

His comments have resurfaced after the Bank of Ghana (BoG) unveiled its new Heritage Series of cedi notes on Thursday, November 12, 2026.

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President Mahama led the unveiling at the BoG’s Bank Square headquarters in Accra. The new series includes redesigned GH¢100 and GH¢200 notes, alongside other denominations from GH¢1 to GH¢50.

During the address, Mahama questioned why the government would print higher denominations while pursuing a cashless economy.

“I cannot understand in heaven why we say we are moving towards a cashless economy,” he said.

He pointed to rules limiting over-the-counter cash transactions to GH¢5,000 as part of efforts to reduce cash use.

The former president also questioned the need for the new notes when Ghana had declared support for the ECO, the proposed West African single currency.

Shared widely on social media, the video of Mahama’s comments is below.

In a statement on Saturday, January 4, 2020, the BoG said it followed its standard procedures before releasing the notes.

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The central bank explained that inflation and depreciation of the cedi had eroded the real value of the existing notes.

According to the BoG, the new denominations were meant to complement, not replace, the existing notes. It also rejected claims that the notes were introduced without public knowledge.

Unlike in 2019, the BoG has said the Heritage Series does not introduce any new denominations. Dominic Owusu, Head of Currency Management at the BoG, said the bank was not adding any note higher than GH¢200.

The redesign is aimed at modernising the cedi and strengthening its security and durability. Notably, the ECO single currency Mahama referred to in 2019 has yet to be launched.

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that Mahama said the old cedi notes would remain in use alongside the new Heritage Series.

According to the President, banks will gradually withdraw the old notes from circulation. No official deadline for their complete withdrawal has been announced.

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Ben-oni Blay (Entertainment Editor) Ben-Oni Quao Blay is an Entertainment Editor at YEN.com.gh with a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Cape Coast. He has over five years of experience in SEO content creation, digital publishing, and audience analytics. Before joining YEN.com.gh, he served as Lead Content Creator and Writer at the International Filmmakers Association (Germany), where he covered film and entertainment. He holds Google certifications in Digital Marketing and SEO. Contact him at benoni.blay@yen.com.gh.