Ghana was already suffering from managerial crises when President Akufo-Addo took power in 2017, an Economist and Chattered Accountant, Christian Donkor has emphasised.
According to him, Ghana was facing issues with high unemployment rate during the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress tenure and many others that have negatively affected the country’s economy leading to IMF bailout in 2015.
In an interview with Ohene Amoako popularly referred as ‘The Flagbearer’ on Homebase TV, the Economist stated, Ghana was on IMF bailout when the Akufo-Addo led NPP took power amidst inability to pay salaries, freeze on public sector employment, unreliable power supply and many other challenges.
“So it was left to President Akufo-Addo and his team to put down measures to deal with the mess that has been caused by the NDC when elected into power in 2017” he stressed.
He revealed the country’s GDP as at 2016 was 6% but was increased to 7% the following year due to financial discipline by the NPP government.
“The economic indicators under the Akufo-Addo led government from 2017 to 2019 were impressive until the COVID-19 pandemic and currently the Russian-Ukraine war. But the NDC tenure did not experience global pandemic but yet still the economy was poorly mismanaged” Mr. Donkor averred.
IMF bailout
Mr. Christian Donkor hinted Government introduction of the electronic levy was to deal with the world economic crises locally and also serve as a bait to go for IMF bailout .
He also attributed Ghana’s decision to go for IMF bailout due to late start of the collection of the electronic levy which could not yield the result Ghana needed.
“The Finance minister is not a failure. It was because the e-levy attracted opposition from the minority and the NDC, its collection delayed and that did not allow us to get the needed results”.
“This IMF bailout is not going to be rigid as that of 2015 because they (IMF) is aware of the global crises. So policies like the free SHS is not going to be affected as being speculated. After all, the policy was introduced in 2019 when Ghana was still with the IMF” the Economist insisted.
He, however, urged Ghanaians to rally behind the Government as the IMF bailout is not going to have negative impact on the economy.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
