IMF, debt relief driving economic gains, not gov’t competence — Minority

The Minority in Parliament has rejected assertions that the recent gains in Ghana’s economy under President John Mahama are a result of the government’s competence.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, January 26, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin argued that external factors, rather than prudent economic management, are behind the current economic upturn.

According to him, the IMF program, debt relief, rising commodity exports, and reduced government expenditure are the key drivers of the economic improvements, not reforms or re-engineering by the current administration.

“We have been told that the economy is doing well. That is not in doubt, but the question is: is the economy doing well because there is prudent management of our economy, or is it that this government has introduced some social intervention programs that have, in themselves, created an opportunity for young, ambitious Ghanaians?

“We hereby submit that the so-called gains were not born out of the government’s competence in the management of our economy. Rather, the IMF program, debt relief, rising commodity exports, and reduced expenditure are the major reasons for the upswing in Ghana’s economy,not a re-engineering of the economy,” he said.