Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram Constituency, Samuel Nartey George, has castigated the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, for what he describes as being clueless and sinking the economy deep down in a pit.
Sam George, who appeared as a panel on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Tuesday 18th April 2023, fumed at how brazen and inured the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal had been limited to.
In reference to Mr. Ofori Atta’s assertion that Ghana has literally broken all records with regard to this restructuring to secure a deal with the IMF and that the government deserves commendation, the Ningo Prampram MP branded the Finance Minister as delusional and inept to the woes of Ghanaians, tagging his request for appraisal as below the belt.
“For him to suggest that he’s worthy of some commendation and he’s done something in record time. You know, before you read the quote, I was going to say I agreed with him, we have set some records, records could be positive or negative. Because we have for sure set records that we’ve never seen before in this country,” he stated.
He indicated that the country in its 16 times travel to the IMF has not been humiliated as being witnessed in the current negotiations. He suggested that the country cannot be described as broke but rather bankrupt.
“Never before in history, this is our [Ghana’s] 17th time at the IMF. The previous 16 times, at no time, have we had to go begging people to beg other people to beg people for us to qualify for an IMF programme. Even under military rulers, when we go or when we have gone, it’s not been this messy,” he argued.
Sam George also alleged that the country has exhausted its right to have a direct interaction with the IMF, making us seek help from third parties.
“Now, we don’t even qualify to deal with the IMF. We are begging the Germans to go and beg the Chinese. We are begging the Paris Club and the Germans to talk to the Paris Club or begging the Americans to talk to the Paris Club.”
In a sharp rebuttal, the Member of Parliament for Ngleshie- Amanfrom, Sylvester Tetteh, who was a panel on the show corroborated the government’s decision to apply some inconveniences such as having a haircut in pensioners’ bonds and increasing tariffs in order to get the country the much awaited IMF deal.
He added that the unsuccessful deal has stalled some important major projects in the country, citing the Kumasi Airport, the Obetsebi Interchange, the Prampram Road Construction, and others.
However, Mr. Tetteh suggested that comparing the progress of Ghana at the IMF to other countries, the Finance Minister and his team deserve applause and a pat on their shoulders, adding that this will prevent a further stay which is tantamount to further expenses at the IMF.
By Leonora Enyonam Annoh | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
