How Did We Get Here?: Mahama Wonders As He Advises Akufo-Addo On Economy

Former President John Dramani Mahama has taken a swipe at President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government for their handling of Ghana's economy.

In a statement released on his Facebook page on Monday, February 7, 2022, the former president blamed the ruling government for mishandling the economy sending it to ruins.

For him, the insistence of the government on using the much-hated E-Levy to bring the economy back on track was appalling.

“President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Head of the Economic Management Team, rather appallingly, remain nonchalant in the face of this serious crisis and have limited their response to the imposition of very harsh and regressive tax measures, one of which is the E-Levy, which has been roundly rejected by the people of Ghana, he said.

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The E-Levy, he added, was neither adequate nor a viable alternative to sustain the economy he said is in crisis.

Like one drowning and yet clutching at mere straw to stay afloat, this government has banked all its hopes on the E-Levy, which, given the gravity and depth of the problems that have beset our economy, is neither adequate nor viable as a sustainable response to the crisis.

Mahama offer solutions

Mahama did not end at criticising but suggested some solutions for government to get the economy out of the doldrums.

According to him, the government must convene a meeting and source ideas from the best brains around.

"As I have indicated previously, the government must as a matter of urgency, borrow a leaf from our sound approach toward the challenges we faced in 2015. We immediately convened the Senchi Economic Forum at which we tapped the brains and expertise of a wide variety of knowledgeable people and stakeholders and built a consensus on our economic plan going forward."

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Still wondering how the government could hinge hopes of salvaging the economy of E-Levy, the former president advised that it swallowed its pride to source ideas and help.

"It is a pity that today, the NPP's entire economic plan hinges on the passage of an E-levy expected to raise a little over Gh¢6 billion. How did we arrive here?

"The government must swallow what is left of its pride and create a platform for urgent and constructive dialogue among stakeholders with the view to fashioning out a robust set of policy responses to the economic challenges before we get to the point of no return."

Source: YEN.com.gh