Mahama urges diplomats to make realistic assessments of Ghana’s economy

Former President John Mahama has urged diplomats to make realistic assessments of Ghana’s economy.

In a post on Facebook, Mr. Mahama said diplomats needed to acknowledge the role policy has played in the struggles of Ghana’s economy.

“While the norm in international diplomacy of being guarded in what one says is appreciated, comments by high ranking officials must be grounded on facts that take into consideration local realities and opinions,” he said.

“The consequences of the government’s ill-adviced policies such as the botched, insensitive and dubious cost in closing down locally owned banks, unbridled levels of corruption and lack of accountability including the mismanagement of COVID-19 funds, unconventional borrowing practices riddled with opaqueness and conflicts of interest, resulting in an unsustainable debt envelope, costly, experimental and untested programmes, etc., cannot be ignored in understanding the current dire state of the Ghanaian Economy.”

Mr. Mahama was reacting to the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva’s meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo earlier this week when she spoke positively about the economy despite the realities on the ground.

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It is a relief to hear Madam Kristina Grigoreva reaffirm the commitment of the IMF to support the people of Ghana in these perilous times.

Ghanaians are undeserving of the uncertainty and hardship resulting from the ineptness of the Nana Akufo-Addo administration that has contributed massively to this mess.

While the norm in international diplomacy of being guarded in what one says is appreciated, comments by high ranking officials must be grounded on facts that take into consideration local realities and opinions.

The incontrovertible fact is that, Ghana is in a mess due to the BAD POLICIES of this government, which have contributed massively to the dire state of affairs.

International diplomats must consider these facts and not just ignore them; lest they make wrong diagnosis and prescribe inappropriate remedies.

The consequences of the government’s ill-adviced policies such as the botched, insensitive and dubious cost in closing down locally owned banks, unbridled levels of corruption and lack of accountability including the mismanagement of COVID-19 funds, unconventional borrowing practices riddled with opaqueness and conflicts of interest, resulting in an unsustainable debt envelope, costly, experimental and untested programmes, etc., cannot be ignored in understanding the current dire state of the Ghanaian Economy.

Therefore, the rhetoric that emanates from international diplomats must reflect local realities. The Ghanaian economy must be managed first for the Ghanaian who lives and experiences it daily, not just for an international audience.