People Leading Ghana to IMF Can Still Break the 8 – Razak Kojo Opoku
Yes, it has not been an easy decision to take Ghana to the IMF, however, it is completely false for anyone to conclude that people in charge of NPP Government taking Ghana to IMF cannot break the 8 in 2024. The decision of NPP Government to seek IMF support does not automatically mean that we have handed over power to NDC and John Mahama without a contest.
Yes, we criticized John Mahama’s administration for going to the IMF and certainly we are not running away from that fact. NPP promised itself never to go to the IMF for bailout largely because at the time of such decisions there were nothing like global economic crisis like COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine War. Unforseen circumstances beyond our control have made us to eat the humble pie and make a u-turn to the IMF.
The prevailing conditions under John Mahama at the time he went to IMF are not the same as the prevailing conditions under which Akufo-Addo’s Government has decided to go back to the IMF. Poor management and inability to solve Dumsor sent Mahama to the IMF.
Under John Mahama’s administration there were nothing like Free SHS/TVET, Planting for food and jobs, 1 District 1 Factory, Agenda 111 Hospital Projects, 1 Constituency 1 Ambulance, NABCO etc. yet he still went to the IMF.
Under Akufo-Addo’s Government the aforementioned programmes are ongoing concurrently and simultaneously coupled with the restoration of Allowances for Teachers and Nursing Trainees, YouStart, Massive Roads, Railway and infrastructure projects across the Country. Akufo-Addo’s IMF is not the same as Mahama’s IMF.
John Mahama went to the IMF to pay judgement debts, misuses the resources under SADA, GYEDA etc.
Akufo-Addo’s IMF is a bold decision to maintain the running of the Free SHS/TVET and other flagship policies as well as ensuring the continuous implementation of the infrastructure projects including roads and railway systems across the country.
The ability of Akufo-Addo’s Government to properly utilize the funds of IMF shall determine the success of NPP in the 2024 general elections.
Akufo-Addo’s Government going to IMF is timely and with a patriotic purposes to sustain the implementation of all the projects and majority of the flagship policies. Of course unless Ghanaians instead of going to the IMF, expect Akufo-Addo’s Government to jeopardize with the destiny of over 2.2 million Ghanaian children who are beneficiaries of Free SHS/TVET plus others or expect Government to suspend the payment on all infrastructural projects including roads/railway/Airports Construction as a way of cutting down expenditure to stabilise the economic system of Ghana.
