Professor Gyampo Makes 9-Point Proposal To Akufo-Addo On Easing Economic Woes

• Professor Ransford has written an open letter to President Nana Akufo-Addo about the worsening Ghanaian economic situation.
• The open letter contains a nine-point proposal to the president on how to put the economy back on track.
• Top on his list of proposals is for President Akufo-Addo to reduce the size of this very huge government to save scarce funds.

Political science professor, Ransford Gyampo, has told Nana Akufo-Addo to reduce the size of his government in a nine-point proposal contained in an open letter to the president.

The nine suggestions are meant to save Ghana’s debilitating economic situation that has since become a top national topic.

In the open letter published on Facebook on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the senior political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, said the President cannot be blamed for the current economic challenges, although there are important things he must do to regain the massive goodwill he seems to have lost over the years.

Read also

Pay cuts for Akufo-Addo’s appointees, Council of State members won’t do much – Prof Adei

“If something can be done, it must be done now. If nothing can be done, Ghanaians must be in the know, so they can resign themselves to fate.

“But I honestly believe there are a couple of things that you can do to show leadership, whip up patriotism and elicit support from the citizenry in helping you to navigate all of us from the current challenges we face as a people,” he said before putting out his 9-point suggestions.

First on Prof Gyampo’s list of proposals is for the president to reduce the size of his government appointees.

“…a government that wants to lead by example in these hard times, should know the ministries that are a complete waste and drain on our limited resources and either realign or scrap them,” he said.

Read also

Old video of Catholic Bishops Conference criticising Akufo-Addo’s promise to protect public purse pops up

Next, he has urged the President to reduce his salary and that of the appointees (that will remain after cutting the size of his government) by 30%.

Also, the payment of all the allowances and per diems must be completely scrapped.

Third, he has proposed that fuel coupons must be limited or completely withdrawn.

“Park all the V8 Vehicles, auction some...," pretty much summed his fourth point.

His fifth proposal is for Akufo-Addo's appointees to stay and work here in Ghana, and if they have to travel, they should be compelled to fly economy class.

His sixth proposal for the President was to bring back the “hurriedly scrapped toll booths.”

His seventh proposal to rescue the economy is for the President to scrap some of the “nuisance taxes” on petroleum products to cushion Ghanaians.

His eighth proposal called on Nana Akufo-Addo to check rampant corruption in his government, some of which have been captured in the 2020 Auditor-General’s report.

Read also

Harsh economic situation forces Akufo-Addo to go into a conclave with his top appointees

Finally, he has urged Akufo-Addo to reshuffle his appointees.

Free SHS Must Be Reviewed, It is Costing Ghana Too Much – Prof Adei Revisits Old Advice

As Ghana’s current economic challenges tops public discourse, Prof Stephen Adei, a respected economist, has revisited a call for the Free SHS policy to be reviewed.

The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission said on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, that although the free SHS is a good policy, it is time to block its budget-draining feature.

“Despite all the advantages of the Free SHS, it has even worsened [Ghana’s economic situation] because now about…GH¢7 billion immediately goes into it.

Source: YEN.com.gh