“We Won’t Have Kenkey Party Over Ghana’s IMF Exit”: Mahama Jabs Akufo-Addo
- President Mahama has indicated that his administration will not engage in celebrations over Ghana’s exit from its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme
- The President indicated that the country's economic recovery is ongoing, and he does not see the need to celebrate in such a situation
- Ghanaians on social media who watched the video thronged the comment section to share their varied thoughts on the matter
President John Dramani Mahama has taken a subtle jab at the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government for organising celebratory 'kenkey and waakye parties' when an IMF programme ended in 2018.
President Mahama said that, unlike the previous administration, his government will not organise any celebratory event over Ghana's recent exit from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
Source: Facebook
Addressing residents during a citizens’ engagement at Ndewura Jakpa Senior High School in the Savannah Region on Saturday, May 23, President Mahama indicated that his administration inherited an IMF-supported programme that was already facing serious challenges and was at risk of collapsing.
The President said that at the time, the key performance indicators agreed under the programme had been missed, compelling his government to make difficult but needed decisions to restore confidence and ensure the continuation of the programme.
“We inherited the IMF programme from the previous government. At the time we took over, all the agreed performance indicators were out of track, which meant that the programme was in danger of derailment, so we had to take some stringent actions to bring it back into alignment, and we were able to do that.”
President Mahama indicated that the IMF acknowledged progress after his government undertook some corrective measures to stabilise the programme.
He further stated that the latest IMF mission, which concluded its work in Ghana recently, expressed satisfaction with the government’s performance and recommendations are now expected to be forwarded to the IMF Executive Board for approval of the next disbursement.
“The missions that came approved the programme, and the final mission just left Ghana last week, and they have given us a satisfying mark, and it is now going to the board to release the last tranche of $380 million to support our economy, but we are not going to have a kenkey party because it is still work in progress."
Watch the X video below:
Reactions to Mahama's jab
YEN.com.gh collated some reactions to the video shared by @sikaofficial1 on X. Read them below:
@MohammedAliu6 said:
"Mahama ended an IMF programme and chose violence on his way out. The kenkey line was not necessary, but it was absolutely delivered."
@Adams_observer wrote:
"Pay Ghanaians their locked-up funds in the collapsed banks as u promised."
@paradiseadom said:
"Instead of creating an enabling and well-functioning Ghana, a whole president always wanna use these platforms for jokes. We are fed with it, so kindly focus on building a better Ghana and stop the sharing and looting of state properties with your brother. No party is above Ghana."
@NOK_TECH1 wrote:
"Well done to the government for completing the IMF programme. No unnecessary fanfare, just solid delivery, that’s the maturity we need. President Mahama’s kenkey party remark was a classy light touch. Now the real work begins, turning this stability into reality."
@efoMawulolo said:
"Can we stop going to the IMF? I hope we never go back again. We have money here. We have gold, cocoa, oil, etc. If the politicians stop looting from the state coffers, we can build this country into what we all want it to be."
Source: YEN.com.gh
