Former President John Mahama has urged president Nana Akufo-Addo to kick his vice president, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia out of the Economic Management Team for the country’s economic nosedive.
His comment follows the government’s announcement of engaging the IMF over Ghana’s economic crisis.
Analysts have said the country should have engaged the Fund when the country’s economy was rated downwards.
Bawumia, who chastised the erstwhile Mahama administration over a similar economic conditions and touted the NPP’s credibility over economic growth, is being hounded by Ghanaians on social media for the poor ratings.
Mahama in a statement commended the government for seeking help from the IMF but cautioned the government against Bawumia and Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s involvement in the negotiations.
Whilst he wants the sector minister sacked for poor performance, Mahama believes Bawumia, whom the NPP wants to endorse as Akufo-Addo’s successor, does not fit to head the Economic Management Team.
In his post on Facebook, the 2020 flagbearer of the NDC said, ” given his obvious failures, the Vice President must be relieved of his responsibility as Chair of the Economic Management Team to enable the President to reconstitute the team.”
Below is the statement;
I welcome President Akufo-Addo’s decision to formally engage the IMF with the view to entering into a programme under the Fund.
Though belated, it should mark an important step towards addressing the dire economic situation, which has left Ghanaians wallowing under intense suffering and hardships.
Beyond the announcement of engagement with the IMF, a comprehensive home-grown programme should be fashioned out and presented to the Fund for support. It is imperative that a team of skilled and competent negotiators is put together to obtain the best set of measures with the Fund.
The Finance Minister who has supervised the disastrous collapse of the economy cannot and should not be part of the team of negotiators. He has lost credibility and the trust and confidence of stakeholders in our economy.
President Akufo-Addo must take a bold decision to replace his finance minister immediately with a more assured and competent person who is willing and able to work tirelessly to turn our almost hopeless situation around.
In addition, given his obvious failures, the Vice President must be relieved of his responsibility as Chair of the Economic Management Team to enable the President to reconstitute the team.
We must draw useful lessons from this episode and avoid cheap politicking with the economy; that can only yield the disastrous outcomes that have brought us here.
Source: Myxyzonline.com|Ghana
