Ghana President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his annual state of the nation address told citizens that his government is finalizing the paperwork for an IMF loan meant to stabilize the country and its currency.
The West African country, struggling with its worst economic crisis in a generation, secured a staff-level agreement with the IMF in December for a $3 billion loan, but the money’s approval is contingent on it restructuring its debt of 575.7 billion cedis ($47.6 billion).
Akufo-Addo also said that while he did worry about the extraordinary expenditure on security at the country’s borders, Ghana had no choice but to spend resources to keep its borders safe.
Ghana borders Burkina Faso, where Islamist insurgent groups have been attacking a range of civilian and military targets, causing deaths and displacements and worsening a food insecurity crisis.