A leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party(NPP), Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has suggested that Ghana is going to the IMF because Parliament frustrated government's efforts to pass policies to salvage the economy.
President Akufo-Addo on July 1 ordered Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to begin formal engagements with the IMF.
In a statement signed by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the engagement will be to invite the Fund to support an economic program put together by government.
“The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has authorised Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), inviting the Fund to Support an economic program put together by the Government of Ghana,” the statement said.
Among other things, the government says the IMF support will 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 crisis.”
Gabby Otchere-Darko speaking in an interview on Joy Newsfile programme, Saturday, laid the blame at the doorsteps of Parliament saying had they not delayed in passing the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy), government would not have been forced to run to the Fund.
“There were challenges; yes, government came with its policies to see how to address those challenges and those policies were frustrated by the very Parliament that we have. Yes, we are in a difficulty but if you are government and don’t intend to go to the IMF but you are put in a situation where your avenues for raising revenue are being closed – whether through parliamentary action or by public rejection – then you have to tackle it,” Gabby Otchere-Darko said.
"Government brings a programme to parliament you fight against it . . . when it takes you six months to pass a policy, and it’s a policy of taxation, what happens? It’s easy for the opposition to lash around it and then build public sentiment against it because this tax would have affected a lot of people but then that’s the only way.
“I think when you have an opposition party which believes that nothing matters than political capitalisation of situations and can go out to the public and say that ‘yes, praise us because we stopped the government from getting its way in raising revenue to solve the situation and the problems facing the ordinary Ghanaian,’ then I think those are the things we need to focus on,” he said.
He, however, believes "we need to have a national conversation" going forward.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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See who’s talking? Gabby has forgotten that in 2013 your party was engaged in a protracted legal battle challenging the outcome of the 2012 presidential elections which brought the whole government machinery to a standstill for nearly eight months. You need the support of who? You see why the NDC thought you didn’t win the 2020 elections convincingly? With NDC’s majority in parliament in 2013, assuming the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of NPP, could you have ruled the country with minority in parliament? Your uncle wanted to be president at all cost and now he’s facing the reality. Ghanaians thought you have something good to offer but it seems you have no idea how to govern. You only came to enrich yourselves.
Josh, nobody will stand in the way of tax if the tax is taken the right way. I think it you have exhibited immaturity by indicating that you don't care because you are no more in the country. I don't expect that to come from a 40+ year old person, perhaps even in your 50s. Why should I be taxed for sending already taxed salary from myself to my mum for her to keep up with living? This is happening when small businesses are being taxed heavily but multinational companies are having a free day enjoying tax concessions approved by the parliament. Where in the world is that done? This government, which I have been a supporter of until Akuffo-Addo showed his incompetence, boasts of having the technocrats to solve the nation's problems. To start with, the free SHSwas a st*&pid policy and now those of us who were against have been vindicated. Is it time for them to reconsider that decision and force those who can genuinely pay, pay? Secondly, they should have been lazy with developing systems to implement non-controversial taxing systems. The mobile networks invested in mobile money systems long before the interconnectivity platform was sponsored and from nowhere, this government wants the lion's share of profits from it. It was an easy way out and thank God it will never generate the expected income from it. Not even 20%. At the end of the day, we have poor leadership. Akuffo-Addo has disappointed many of NPP followers like me. He was never visionary and has been even more hopeless than Mahama. The politicians have not helped in anyway, always seeking their selfish interests first with ex-gratia, allowances and the rest. I am also not in Ghana and indeed, I am now not a Ghanaian, but I can never deny my roots. One-day Akuffo-Addo will no more be the president and hopefully, we will have a wise president to lead us.
Politics in some parts of the world is serious business where political appointees think deeply on what needs to be done to make life worthy of living for the citizens. Unfortunately in Ghana politics is for comedians who are paid to talk and not to think. It's comedians who don't know shame, if our politicians knew shame, they would have been hiding their faces from the public. Ghanaians have completely lost trust in politicians, they don't practice what they preach, a group of conmen who's business is ' what can we do to also get our share of the loot and go away. Very very unfortunate. 30 million people with gifted with gold, cocoa, bauxite , timber, arable lands, the sea, two giant harbors , crude oil, a vibrant human resource, unfortunately they are yet to find a visionary leader who is selfless, clean, God fearing, fellow feeling and honest to send them to the promised land. As at 1957 when Ghana gained independence , this country was miles ahead of Malaysia and Singapore. Today they are called the ' Asian Tigers' due the quality of leadership they have. Today Ghana can best be described as the 'African beggar' . Even the IMF is becoming fed up with Ghana , in 2015 Ghana was there to beg, they assisted us, seven years down the line ie 2022, we are back with a cup in hand begging. A Fulani man going to beg for cow milk to feed his family after squandering the many cattle his forefathers left behind. Dear God, any politician who has stolen Ghana's money through what ever means for his children to be better than the taxpayers children , curse them, ensure their stolen wealth doesn't hold. Theirs is to steal, the power to sustain the stolen wealth lies in your hand. So you politicians don't pity these rural women who carry firewood, charcoal, plantain, yam, bags of maize on their hands walking several kilometers only for you politicians to steal and live them impoverished . God/ Allah curse them , i.e. the political ***barred word***. They have brought your creation to their knees . Julooo aaa, ewii, barawo, na nyiga, . Those who stole what belongs to the people will never see peace.
The last time I checked, Gabby Ochetre Darko did not hold any official position in this NPP government. So which Parliament frustrated 'our policies' claim is he making? Are Ghanains supporting family and friends who are not doing any tangible work in governance? Must Ghanains continue to pay heavily for people who are nothing but propagandist to squander resources? No one will agree to act ***barred word*** just because they are 'ordinary ghanains'.
Garby, you can be rest assured that the opposition party doesn't get political power because it was able to capitalize on the challenges the ruling party is going through. Not when the problems are caused by global crises rather than mismanagement and mismanagement of the economy in general. The challenges are genuine, and the government has not run away from them and is candid with the good people of Ghana. It appears the NDC is winning the battle, so to speak, but bearing ill intensions towards your opponent does not win you any game, be it political or not. Discerning Ghanaians are not so apolitical and misinformed as to believe the lies and triviality of the NDC's vile propaganda. There is no way that the e-levy is going to fail. It's just the beginning and I believe it is going to kick in massively with time. At least the government tried to raise funds internally rather than just rushing to the IMF for a bailout. Let the NDC continue to live in a foool's paradise.Instead of stating what it would have done better as an opposition party,
Road tolls will not come back. E-levy is working fine. Free shs will not be touched. We are a proud country and will not go to IMF. much of what u hear is just ndc lies.
I M F , in Ghana means It's Mahama's Fault. Hahahaaaa .
GHANAIANS BLAME YOURSELVES IMF IS NOT LIKE E-LEVY YOU CAN'T DODGE AS NDC POLUTED GHANAIANS MIND. FOR IMF WE ALL SWIM TOGETHER AND SWALLOW THE BITTER PILL TOGETHER FOOOOOOOO LS . E-LEVY WAS MUCH CHEAPER AND LESS PAINFUL THAN IMF SO LET GET IT ON. SERIOUSLY GHANAIANS ARE JOKERS, A COUNTRY CITIZENS WANT TO LEAVE FOR FREE THIS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION. NO FREE LUNCHBODY, WE ALL TAKE THE BITTER PILL TOGETHER THERE IS NO ESCAPEES FOOOOOO LS, AM GLAD I LEFT 40 YEARS AGO AND IS BEEN GOOD BECAUSE WHERE I AM WE ALL PAY TAXES MORE TAXES TO HELP THE ECONOMY AND WE DO COMMERCIAL IRRIGATED FARMING NO PEASANT FARMING CRA P. FOOOOOO LS. NO FREE LUNCH. WE ALL BURDEN SHARE IN TAXES. TELL ME HOW CHINA CAN FEED IT POPULATION OF 1.4 BILLION AND HAVE FOOD SECURITY WITH SYLLOS FULL OF GRAINES AND CEREALS FOR A YEAR. NO PEASANT FARMING CRA P IN CHINA
Please you are an elderly person, know shame. I doubt whether any NPP appointee, the president or his vice can speak to convince anybody again not even basic school pupils will trust. People with grey hair who doesn't know shame, abaa. Oh, those of us who were chanting 4 more 4 nana to do more . Indeed he has done what Napoleon could not do in less than 4 years. What a president. What a solid team, what a competent ministers, deputy ministers, MMDCE's and CEO's , what a presidential staffers, what a party called NPP under a Nana. 53% of Ghanaian voters bought a fish in the river. Trust of 53% of voters trust squandered, 53% now knows all that glitters is not gold, 53% now knows that a gentleman can be a conman, 53% now know that hahahaaaa . Aye ka. Ghanaians on their way to the IMF slaughter. GHANA: kokoko, IMF: Yes, come in. GHANA: Please I am Ghana. IMF: G H A N A!!!!, you again?
This guy should shut his f**ing mouth up. Now you want to blame parliament. Wicked family people. You and your tribesmen will pay for what you have done to this country.