Some of the chiefs who were at the meeting
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured Ghanaians that all capital projects will continue after negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The President gave the assurance on Monday, January 30, 2023 at Jubilee House, during a meeting with the Western Regional House of Chiefs.
According to him, Ghanaians may have observed that these projects have halted, but he swiftly added that those delays are temporary.
Regardless of the current economic downturn in the country, President Akufo-Addo is determined to continue all capital projects. His hopes are built on an IMF deal, which he says will allow the government to continue those projects.
“Capital projects ongoing in Ghana must continue. There may be some temporary delay, which is what we are experiencing now. But at the end of the day, we will have an [IMF] arrangement that allows us to continue those projects,” he told the WRHC yesterday.
PUBLIC EDUCATION
The President was addressing concerns raised by the chiefs about the delay of ongoing projects and the lack of education on measures being undertaken.
The president explained the situation to them, roping in the ongoing domestic and foreign debt exchange programs, and attributing part of the halt to that.
However, “it is important that I reiterate the point that the arrangement is not one that will prevent us from completing key projects. Rest assured that we will continue the projects,” he said, mixing both the English and Akan languages.
The President explained to the chiefs that, though the first phase, which is the staff level agreement, has been reached, it is still necessary to restructure both the domestic and foreign debts of the country.
That exercise, he further explained, demanded that some tough decisions be taken to get the endorsement of the IMF board.
However, he assured the chiefs that the government would soon roll out measures to break down the deal and its correspondence.
COMMENDATION
President Akufo-Addo was elated that the chiefs recognised the developmental projects his government has undertaken in the Western Region and had come to commend him.
He indicated that not many would do what they had done to appreciate the efforts of the government in their localities.
APPRECIATION
The spokesperson for the delegation that met the president, in his remarks, particularly commended the president for developing the Western Region.
He mentioned that a lot of projects were ongoing in the Western Region, for which they had come to thank the President.
The Omanhene of Nsein, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, said “We are grateful to you and your government for all the developmental projects ongoing in our region.”
He mentioned some of the projects, including the Takoradi interchange.
DELAY
However, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II raised concerns about the seeming stalling of some projects, particularly roads. He feared that if they were not completed before the rains set in, all the investment would mean nothing.
Therefore, he called on the President to put measures in place to ensure those projects were completed before the rainy season.
IMF EDUCATION
The chief told the president that they support the government’s decision to seek refuge at the IMF. However, he opened up about the lack of education in the deal and the level of the citizens at the bottom.
According to him, they do not understand the negotiations between the government and the IMF because they sound very technical.
Therefore, he implored the president to send experts to the local level to break down the IMF deal and any other measures the government is taking to salvage the economy from grinding to a halt.
The delegation included the Omanhen of W/Nzema, Lower and Upper Dixcove, Gwira, Mpohor, Wassa Amenfi and Essikado.
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