A former Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Prof Stephen Adei, has stated that if the President does not rise to the occasion to address the current economic hardships, the country may suffer intense losses.
He said “we really must have a leadership that has the vision and is willing to call everybody to order and insist on really bringing the best brains together. It is a serious national challenge we face.
“I think this is a challenge which has nagged the country for many years and at this moment, we have to see the President rising up to the occasion or else Ghana is going to have serious difficulties getting out of this crisis,” he said in interview on JoyNews.
However, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has authorized the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Information, this is to invite the Fund to support an economic program put together by the government of Ghana.
“This follows a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Miss Kristalina Georgievs, conveying Ghana’s decision to engage with the Fund,” the statement explained.
The statement signed by the Minister of Information; Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah added the decision was taken at a meeting held on June 30, 2022.
“The engagement with the IMF will seek to 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 crises,” the statement concluded.
On the size of the cabinet, Prof Adei indicated that the current composition allows for some members to underperform.
“I personally think – and here I am not talking about only President Akufo-Addo’s government – our cabinet, knowing you have all Tom, Dick and Harry… the proponents of the Constitution said the cabinet should be about 19 or so ministers; we managed to get them to about 85.
“It used to be more than 110 so that at a cabinet they make a serious decision instead of people who are thinking about whether they are going to be the next party chairman or not? No! You need a real-select team and the best of advice.”
