Gabby Otchere-Darko Admits Ghana's Economy is in a Mess but Shifts Blame from Akufo-Addo

• A relative and a close associate of the president, Gabby Otchere-Darko has admitted that the Ghanaian economy is in shambles
• According to him, even the president and some of his appointees are not happy with the state of Ghana's economy
• He however blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent war in Ukraine for the challenges in Ghana and other economies across the globe

The president’s cousin and a leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Otchere-Darko, has joined the loud complaints by Ghanaians about hardships in the economy.

According to him, his perspective on the economy is not different from that of President Nana Akufo-Addo and others in the government elected or appointed to solve the country's problems.

“I am not happy with the economy. I don’t think you are happy with the economy; I certainly don’t think the president is happy with the economy because he had made it so; he said so that he is not happy. His vice president had repeated that, and his finance minister had said the same. So we are not happy with the economy,” Mr Otchere-Darko is quoted in a report by Ghanaweb.

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He was, however, quick to absolve the government from the current state of the economy. Like the president during the State of the Nation Address, Mr Othcere-Darko also pointed out that Ghana is not the only country battling economic challenges post-Covid-19.

“I heard Boris Johnson saying that quite recently, he is not happy. Biden is not happy. Wherever you go; Nigeria…I don’t think there is any country where you will say that the leadership and the people are happy with the state of the economy,” the founder of pro-NPP think tank, Danquah Institute, reportedly told Asaase Radio.

He also mentioned the war in Ukraine as one of the external factors that have plunged Ghana and other economies into disarray.

“I believe that yes, you cannot run away from the fact that the economy is facing serious challenges, that’s accepted, and you cannot run away from the fact that Ghanaians are struggling. You cannot run away from the fact that the government is trying its best to in managing the situation. Is that the best? I believe that time will tell,” he said.

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Four Reasons ECG And Ghana Water Want Over 100% Tariff Increases

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported in a separate story that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) are pushing for over 100% increases in tariffs for 2022.

While the ECG wants tariffs to be increased by 148% for 2022 and again by 7.6% between 2023 to 2026, the GWCL wants tariffs to be increased by a whopping 334%.

In a report to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), the regulator of utility tariffs and quality of service, the two utility companies have appealed for the proposals to be approved.

Source: YEN.com.gh