General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has asked the President, HE Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo to dispense with the services of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and also disband the Economic Management Team (EMT) if he wants to really end the suffering of the masses through the International Monetary Fund (IMF's) intervention.
He says failure to take that action will result in Ghana being forever stuck in an economic doldrum should the IMF even provide the country all the monies in the world.
The government announced on Friday, July 1, 2022, that it had decided to engage the IMF on a balance of payment support because of the global economic meltdown necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Those crises have resulted in high inflation, fuel price hikes, and depreciation of the local currency and eroded the country's foreign reserves and buffers.
Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he laid the country's dire financial situation and current state of economic paralysis by the NPP government on the doorstep of the Finance Minister and the EMT.
" . . Ghana received lots of support from the World Bank and other benevolent institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic, I therefore find it absurd to hear people say that COVID-19 and the Ukraine-Russia war has contributed to the poor performance of the country's economy.
"Anyone who is able to defend NPP's decision to go to the IMF for bailout with this inexplicable analysis can defend Satan in Heaven. . .
"The Finance Minister has ran out of ideas and the way he is handling things now you will need a fresh blood to manage the finances of the country and be able to put the economy in good shape.
"The vice president, HE Dr. Mahamoud Bawumia who also heads the Economic Management team looks tired and frail to even generate fresh ideas for the economy. And since the president has taken this bold decision to go to the IMF, they need a more resolved team to lead the affairs of the economy and even engage the IMF for good deal to be struck as the country seeks for a financial bail," Asiedu Nketia proffered.
The NDC General Secretary further asked the president to be ready to cut down on frivolous expenditure to enable him reserve more money for other infrastructure because the country cannot continuously depend on IMF for support and bailout.
Watch video below
Akufo-Addo orders Ofori-Atta to go to IMF
President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has instructed the Minister of Finance to commence official engagements with the International Monetary Fund(IMF).
This was contained in a statement issued by the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on Friday, July 1, 2022.
According to the statement, the Finance Minister has been instructed by the President to seek IMF’s support for an economic programme put together by the government of Ghana.
“The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has authorised Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), inviting the Fund to Support an economic program put together by the Government of Ghana,” the statement said.
Among other things, the ministry of information says the IMF support will provide “balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghana’s build back in the face of challenges induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and recently, the Russia-Ukraine crisis.”
This new development comes as a twist to an earlier position by the government on the possibility of an IMF bailout.
In the face of growing economic hardships, several critics including the opposition National Democratic Congress and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) had implored the government to seek an IMF bailout.
But in several instances, the government insisted against going to the IMF while touting several homegrown policies as remedy to the current situation.
The Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta, in January 2022 described an IMF bailout as disastrous to Ghana.
Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected]
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If there is Satan but not competent in Ghanaian politics, I would bet, hands down, that the NDC is the worst Satan ever in Ghanaian politics.
AND SO ARE YOU, YOUR MAHAMA AND THE NDC WHO TOOK GHANA TO IMF IN THE PAST. I THINK YOU WERE ABLE TO DEFEND SATAN IN HEAVEN AT THE TIME. YOU ARE A BUNCH OF DOOM SAYERS.
asiedu nkatia you are rather the SATAN and nation WRECKER, how such an old man like you be saying such SenSeless speech, you are not suppose to be a leader try to say mature words when talking, Long live NPP, Long live Ghana. Least I forget, do you really have family, wife, children and friends?
What do mean you're the satan himself the evil one in ghana politic asiedu nketia
Group of ***barred word*** politicians, over the last 40 years they have done nothing good. They prefer to loot rather than expedite growth of the country. I don't see where Ghana moves from here ,after Kuffour and late Atta Mills. Hmmm. God help us
So are those including you Asiedu Nketiah who advocated for the government to go to IMF are Satan incarnates?
A COUNTRY THAT IT PULATION DON'T WANT TO PAY TAXES, BORROW TO BUILD TOILETS I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE IN THERE LOOOOOOSERS, ***barred word*** GHANAIANS WITH NDC LOOOOOO SERS REFUSED TO PAY E-LEVY USE LESSSSS WHOSE FAULT IS IT THIS IS ONE BITTER PILL FOR EVERYONE. INESCAPABLE IMF PROGRAMME SO ENDUOW IT. HOW WOULD LEAVE FOR FREE AND YET YOU WANT YOUR ROAD TO BE FIXED,YOUR BRIDGE TO BE FIXED. YOU GO TO HOSPITAL FOR FREE, GO TO SCHOOL FOR FREE, AND HAVE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURES FOR FREE. THAT IS WHY I LEFT 40YRS AGO AND AM NOT COMING BACK INTO THAT SHI T MENTALI TY OF NDC MONK EYS SOCIETY. GHANAIANS ARE JOKERS NO COUNTRY BORROWED TO FUND THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IS ONLY A COUNTRY THAT IS SICK. ALLOW PEOPLE TO PAY TAXES NOT TO LEAVE FOR FREE, A COUNTRY LIKE RUSSIA, USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, AND OTHER MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES DO NOT BORROWED TO FUND THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, PAY GOVERNMENT WORKERS PURE ***barred word***. NO COUNTRY WANT THEIR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO. NO FREE LUNCH ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY TAXES TO FUND YOUR ROADS USE YOUR MOUTH TO PAVE YOUR ROADS. TAKE A LOOK AT THE GHANA CEDI, ANYTIME BANK OF GHANA SELLS DOLLARS GUTA AND THEIR PEOPLE GET A CHUNK OF IT TO IMPORT ALL KINDS OF sh*t INTO THE COUNTRY INSTEAD FORCUSING ON THE COUNTRY'S LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION THAT IS WHAT IS KILLING THE CEDI TO BE THE WORST PERFORMING CURRENCY INTHE WORLD. GHANAIANS SHOULD TELL THE WORLD WHAT VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS DO GHANA EXPORTS TO EARN FOREIGN EXCHANGE TO SHORE UP THE CEDIS GHANA ONLY EXPORT RAW MATERIALS WHICH DOESN'T GET NOTHING MUCH. SO WE NEED TO EXPORT MUCH ADDED VALU TO GAIN FOREIGN EXCHANGE TO SHORE UP THE LOCAL CURRENCY AND THAT IS WHAT PRESIDENT NANA ADDO TRYING TO DO BY ONE DISTRICT ONE FACTORY. TO CHANGE THE PARADIM SHIFT TO GET MORE FOREIGN EXCHANGE TO HELP THE CEDI. CHINA DO NOT DO PASANT FARMING TO FEED 1.4 BILLION POPULATION AND HAVE FOOD SECURITY WITH SYLLOS FULL OF RICE, MAIZE, WHEAT, SOYABEANS BUT COMMERCIAL IRRIGATED FARMING. E-LEVY WAS CHEAPER THAN IMF, IMF PITTER PILL WE ALL SWALLOW IT TOGETHER IS INESCAPEABLE LIKE E-LEVY.
Asiedu Nketiah is now a Chief Economist. Another comedian.
Ei, Asiedu Nketia, the concert party man!
Please get away with your infantile arguments!