Business News of Monday, 17 July 2023

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Economic strategists don't go to IMF - Ken Agyapong jabs Bawumia?

Kennedy Agyapong, Assin Central Member of Parliament and Vice President Bawumia Kennedy Agyapong, Assin Central Member of Parliament and Vice President Bawumia

A flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kennedy Agyapong has called out his own administration for the handling of the Ghanaian economy which is currently under an IMF-supported programme.

According to him, the depreciation of the local currency against the dollar has significantly impacted on businesses and livelihoods at large.

Addressing party delegates at Kintampo in the Bono East region, the Assin Central lawmaker recounted that in March 2022, he possessed $40 million in cedi equivalent which later declined in value to about $16 million in August that same year due to the cedi’s depreciation.

While he did not mention the name of the Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, it became evident that Kennedy Agyapong was directing his criticisms to the Head of the Economic Management Team of government.

“We will have troubles if we don’t do a clean campaign because I will reply to every claim made against me. You call yourself a strategist but when we were taking over power the Dollar was 4 Cedis, today One Dollar is Twelve Cedis and yet you call yourself a strategist,” Ken Agyapong said.

“In March 2022 I had 40 million Dollars in Cedi equivalent, in August 2022 the value of the 40 million dollars had dropped to 16 million,” he expressed.

He further touted his ability to provide employment avenues and opportunities better than his competitors in the 2024 flagbearership race of the New Patriotic Party.

“With my Steel Plant, I am employing thousands of workers in this country by the next few months, I have the biggest Cold Store in the whole of Africa, as for you, the government pays you, pays your house girls, pays your security, you are living in government bungalows,” he boasted.

The MP continued, “But I pay 7,158 workers every month in this country. So between the two of us who is the strategist? This is internal politics and so we shouldn’t be dirty but if they attack me, I will reply.”

MA/FNOQ

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