IMF bailout: ‘Posterity has nice way of disgracing dishonest leaders’ – Sammy Gyamfi

National Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has described government’s decision to engage the International Monetary Fund as a ‘shame’.

In a tweet on Friday, Mr Gyamfi said, “Posterity has a nice way of disgracing dishonest leaders. @NAkufoAddo and @MBawumia have been trapped by their own words. What a shame”.

In a related development, former Deputy Minister for Information, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, says he is wondering the condition of the Vice President, following the President’s directive for the Finance Minister to engage the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In a tweet on Friday, the former government appointee wrote, “I can only imagine the panic that has gripped Bawumia following the announcement of an IMF program by his bungling government”.

Speaking in an earlier interview monitored on Friday, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu accused government of grossly mismanaging the economy and thereby creating an unfavourable fiscal situation for the country.

In his submission, he bemoaned the increasing levels of corruption and the inability of government to crack the whip government appointees who dissipate state funds.

Touching on the controversial issue of the National Cathedral, he also expressed his sentiments about the lack of transparency that characterised the Project.

Mr. Kwakye Ofosu therefore added to earlier calls by other leading members of the NDC, for government to suspend the project.

Meanwhile, award-winning investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has also reacted to President Akufo-Addo’s directive to the Finance Minister to engage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support.

In a Facebook post on Friday, the ace journalist wrote, “You can do all the propaganda you want, but if the fundamentals of the economy are weak, IMF will expose you”.

The comments by Felix Kwakye Ofosu and Manasseh Azure add to the hundreds of social media reactions, following the news about government’s decision to seek fiscal support from the Fund.

In a series of tweets and posts monitored by African Editors, scores of Ghanaians have expressed their misgivings about government’s decision to request assistance from the Fund.

According to some of them, the move may not augur well for the fortunes of Ghana’s economy.

Some social media users have also accused President Akufo-Addo and the NPP government of ‘double-standards’, following the directive.

In expressing their shock, they said, they did not expect government to resort to the Fund, after the Finance Minister had earlier assured that government will resort to ‘home-grown’ solutions in reversing the ailing economy.

Contrary to this assurance however, a statement signed by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, on Friday, July 1, revealed that the President has directed the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to ‘commence formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), inviting the Fund to support an economic programme put together by the government of Ghana’.

‘Posterity has a nice way of disgracing dishonest leaders’ – Sammy Gyamfi on government’s decision to seek IMF support
Government’s communication on IMF engagement
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announcement to address a press conference at 2:00pm on Friday at the Party’s headquarters in Accra was cancelled at the eleventh hour.