The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament has flayed government for what it described as attempts by the Akufo-Addo-led NPP administration to pass the buck for its shambolic performance in power.
President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia, according to the Caucus, should take full responsibility for the current economic mess, which has led government to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Speaking to journalists in Parliament on Wednesday, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu argued that it was “the incompetence of the Vice President as the Head of the Economic Management Team in particular and the failure of the Government led by President Akufo Addo in general” that has led to a return to the IMF.
“President Nana Addo Dankwa and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, should take full responsibility for incompetently managing the economy to suffocating debt levels that has necessitated the retreat for us to request an agreement with the IMF for the restructuring of our debts.
“They should also take full responsibility for their reckless and irresponsible borrowing and the unjustified profligate expenditure which has led us to the journey of retreat,” the Minority Leader added.
Some officials in President Akufo-Addo’s Government including the Finance Minister are on record to have stated that the Akufo-Addo government will not return to an IMF programme.
However, government decided to make a U-turn with an official announcement on July 1, 2022 that it was returning to IMF for balance of payment support.
Based on this request, an IMF team has already been dispatched to the country to kick-start discussions on a possible programme to support Ghana’s homegrown economic policies.
Ranking Member on the Finance Committee in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, warned Ghanaians to expect a very tough programme from the Fund.
He called on the Government to come clean by informing the people about the reality of the issues on the ground.
“The people of Ghana should expect a very strong IMF programme. Unfortunately, the Government is not articulating that fact. They are trying to hide from what is happening by trying to blame the Ukraine- Russia war. I do not accept it and we cannot accept that as the reason why Ghana is in this mess.
“We are in this mess because it is Government’s deliberate policy. The Government has mess us up big time and should take full responsibility for it.
“This is indeed, self-inflicted and the people that took us I to this mess must immediately take responsibility,” he stated.
