Peter Akwesi Mensah, a member of the NDC's communication team, has described the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the most deceptive political party in the history of Ghana.

Speaking in an interview with TV XYZ, he stated that the Akufo Addo lead-administration deceived Ghanaians with many promises yet has made life difficult for the average citizen.

He advanced that despite earlier claims by the finance minister regarding the country's economic progress and insistence that Ghana wouldn't need aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), today they have already turned to the IMF for a bailout. He added that the NPP has achieved none of the many promises they made to Ghanaians.

“The government has employed teachers for over one year, and has refused to pay them…this is the state of the economy, the students and the teachers are crying. One even died at Atebubu last month, bad governance.

“Ken Ofori-Atta and the IMF; you see the reason why I told you this government is deceptive? Prior to the IMF bailout, the professionals advised the finance minister to seek an IMF bailout but because of pride, arrogance and how pompous the minister is, he said no we won’t go to the IMF today or tomorrow for any bailout. Just insulting the intelligence of the economists who advised him at the time.

“In 2022 February, Ken Ofori-Atta told Ghanaians in Tamale that Ghana is blessed so we don’t need any IMF bailout. The same Ken Ofori-Atta made a U-turn and told us that if we don’t go to the IMF the economy will collapse, which people are these? Deceptive government. This person deserves to be caned on tables,“ he said.

Meanwhile, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is optimistic that Ghana will conclude talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a possible financial bailout programme.

According to President Akufo-Addo, though the government's debt exchange programme was fraught with several challenges after its announcement, it has largely been accepted by the citizenry.

He made this known when the German Federal Minister of Finance, Christian Lindner, paid him a visit at the Jubilee House weeks ago.

“We have already taken one important step forward in concluding a Staff-Level Agreement with the IMF. One of the steps was the domestic debt exchange programme which encountered a lot of difficulties, but it has now been virtually concluded...

"We are now looking towards going the full hog and concluding the agreement. We're hoping that will be done by the middle of March,” President Akufo-Addo said.

He also called on Germany to encourage China, an ad hoc member of the Paris Club to support Ghana’s debt restructuring efforts.



AM/SARA