Kristalina Georgiva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, has denied claims that Ghana’s economic troubles were self-inflicted rather than caused by the Russian/Ukraine war and Covid-19. According to her, the country’s economic problems are not the result of terrible government policy.
Managing Director of IMF and President Akufo-Addo
She reaffirmed her organization’s commitment to striking an economic accord with the government before the end of the year. Madam Georgiva told Joy News’ Benjamin Akakpo during the Africa Adaptation Summit in Rotterdam, Holland, that Ghana will receive IMF assistance. “I’m very determined for us to indeed reach an agreement with Ghana by the end of this year [2022]. We started very constructive discussions already. And to the people of Ghana, like everybody on this planet you have been hurt by exogenous shocks; first the pandemic, then Russian/Ukraine war”.
“And that we need to realise that it’s not because of bad policies in the country, but because of these combinations of shocks. Therefore, we have to support Ghana because you are a member, you are a strong country, and you have fantastic people”. She emphasized how smoothly the conversations between Ghana and the Fund had been going.
“We have to support Ghana because your strength contributes to the strength of your neighbors, it contributes to a stronger world”. Upon being asked if Ghana would receive the $3 billion that the government has requested, Madam Georgiva responded, “Let’s go to the negotiations, and then you will know.”
Dr. Bawumia shines magnificently in Ghanaian politics
OPINION: Saanu Abacha writes;
H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
The 2012 election petition was the birth of Vice President Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia as a force in Ghanaian politics as he shined magnificently as the NPP’s star witness in their case against election irregularities.
Though the NPP lost, his performance served as a fertile ground for the advancement of his standing with the Ghanaian public as Dr. Bawumia displayed his eloquence, intelligence, analytical mind and skills, and complete mastery of debate in the full glare of Ghanaians on national television.
The trial displayed once and for all the potential of Dr. Bawumia as a future leader of Ghana and led to then-candidate Akufo-Addo expressing immense appreciation to him after the trial.
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo formed a unique bond on the back of that trial as the running mate completely proved his utility and versatility as an asset to the New Patriotic Party.
Akufo-Addo and Bawumia will eventually win the 2016 elections, once again on the back of a spectacular performance from Dr. Bawumia as he diagnosed the problems with the Ghanaian economy and completely hammered then President Mahama in their public spats, forever gifting him the label of ‘incompetent’.
Incorruptible Bawumia
All this has left many believing strongly that Bawumia is President Akufo-Addo’s natural successor as leader of the NPP.
The incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by President John Dramani Mahama and running mate Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, took on the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Mahama had taken over as President for the late Professor John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills after his untimely death on July 24th, 2012, and was seeking an extension of his rule after only five months in office.
After a long and acrimonious campaign followed by a somewhat chaotic voting process, then Electoral Commission boss Afari Gyan declared the NDC’s John Mahama as the winner with 50.7% of the vote despite numerous complaints and pointing out of irregularities by the NPP.
The NPP headed to court to fight the verdict and the legend of Dr. Bawumia was born.
Prior to the petition, Dr. Bawumia, set to be the NPP’s star witness, was involved in a ghastly accident on the 18th of March 2012 that nearly claimed his life.
The V8 Land Cruiser he was travelling in whilst returning to Accra from the enskinment of the Bole-Wura suffered two burst tyres and somersaulted.
Miraculously, Dr. Bawumia and the other occupants of the car all escaped unhurt.
The NPP running mate shook off the near-death incident and testified in the trial for days on end as he forcefully made the NPP’s case.
Dr. Bawumia went toe-to-toe with Tsatsu Tsikata, one of Ghana’s eminent lawyers and legal scholars, and by all accounts absolutely acquitted himself well.
Bawumia adeptly and adroitly skipped over all legal traps Tsikata attempted to set in his way and was brilliant in pointing out irregularities the NPP’s audit of the election had uncovered.
The infamous saying, ‘you and I were not there’, was borne out of the legal and intellectual battles between Bawumia and Tsikata in that trial.
Eventually, the NPP lost the petition but it was certainly not due to the lack of presenting a brilliant case.
Bawumia became a political force during that trial and on the back of that, helped Nana Akufo-Addo handily sweep to power by defeating John Mahama in their rematch in 2016.
The 2012 election petition displayed everything that made Bawumia a success as an economist and a politician – intelligence, eloquence, and an uncanny ability to remain cool under pressure.
Chairman COKA calls for early NPP congress The former chairman of the Kwabre South constituency, Mr. Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, has pushed for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to call an early congress to choose the party’s flagbearer for the 2024 general elections. This, in his opinion, would greatly aid the party in addressing all issues that would arise from the competition. He has therefore urged the newly elected National Executives of the Party to submit a paper to the NEC asking it to consider an early congress rather than the one year to the elections that the Party’s constitution calls for when it is in power.
Chairman Coka
The call was made by Chairman COKA, as he is known in the political sphere, on Friday 26th August during an exclusive interview with Nhyira 104.5 FM, a local radio station in Kumasi. The former head of the Association of NPP constituency chairmen and a candidate for NPP chairman of the Ashanti region in the 2022 conference, COKA, predicted that the party would break the eight. I’m telling you that efforts are being made to break the 8 in any way necessary. He claims that the NPP has already begun working on all of the identified challenges.
He informed the show’s host that ” We will be discussing our third term victory when you see me here in the following two years. We are making every effort to avoid the apathy that negatively impacted us (NPP) in 2008, he emphasized. COKA asks Ghanaians to be patient with the government in light of the current economic crisis. He assured Ghanaians that Nana Addo’s administration is working tirelessly to bring the country to the Promised Land. “We will undoubtedly arrive in the Promised Land before 2024.” Let us all be patient with the government and contribute our fair share to the economic recovery agenda.”
Concerning the cedi depreciation, Chairman COKA once again urged all Ghanaians, particularly traders, to refrain from purchasing dollars locally in order to relieve pressure on the dollar.
“We all have a role to play in terms of cedi depreciation,” he said. To relieve pressure on the dollar, our businessmen and women must refrain from trading or purchasing dollars in their transactions. He bemoaned the fact that some individuals purposefully stir up panic about the dollar rate in the economy, and that this must be stopped.
Hon. Slyvester Tetteh, Member of Parliament for Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfrom constituency, has called for the suspension of Aziz Haruna Futa, NASARA Coordinator of the New Patriotic Party, for what he [Sly] refers to as “religious incitements.”
Hon. Sylvester Tetteh
Hon. Tetteh stated on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, “Aziz Futa is one person I would like to see the party suspend. You probably heard what he said at the party’s Islamic Thanksgiving Service… That was religious incitement, and he should be punished for it “He stated. When the show’s host, Philip Osei Bonsu (OB), drew his attention to the fact that the General Secretary reprimanded Aziz Futa on the same occasion that he made those statements, Hon. Tetteh retorted, “It’s not like the General Secretary reprimanded Aziz Futa on the same occasion.” “That is insufficient. He must be kicked out of the party. Aziz owes a national apology to the party and must be sanctioned “He was emphatic.
Aziz Futa
In a related development, Slyvester Tetteh urged the General Secretary to take disciplinary action against Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea for endorsing Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s presidential bid.
To ensure fairness, Hon. Tetteh believes that the party’s code of conduct must be followed to its logical conclusion. “The party cannot invite Hopeson Adorye and Ekow Vincent Assafuah over similar remarks while allowing my senior, Hon. Atta Akyea, to go free,” Hon Tetteh stated emphatically.
