A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Otchere-Darko, is optimistic about the political implications of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) role in restoring Ghana’s troubled finances.
According to him, assertions by members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the arrangement will affect the ruling party’s fortunes in the next general elections are rather ill-informed.
Government’s announcement on Friday to engage the IMF to assist in forestalling the economic crisis has been met with a mixed reaction from the public.
Many critics say they saw it coming and an earlier acknowledgement of the advice would have saved the country a lot of trouble.
Some members of the opposition party are already predicting the negative effect this U-turn may have on the citizen’s presidential choices in the 2024 elections.
But the Danquah Institute founder insists the NDC members are looking at it the wrong way.
“If @JDMahama & the NDC are happy because NPP going to the IMF now is what will deliver NDC victory in Dec 2024 then they better think again,” he wrote on Twitter.
In a post on Sunday, Mr Otchere-Darko suggested that the move will, instead, allow President Akufo-Addo to channel his energies towards improving some areas of the country other than the sectors that the IMF will be restoring.
“It rather takes the pressure off the Akufo-Addo government to focus on things that will impact positively on the economy over the next 15 months.”
These positive interventions, he believes, will instil even more hope in the Akufo-Addo-led administration.
This is not the first time he has defended the IMF move since the announcement was made.
Speaking on Newsfile on July 2, Gabby Otchere-Darko blamed the decision on the fierce opposition from the Minority in Parliament against the government’s revenue mobilisation efforts, including the controversial E-Levy.
But former President, John Mahama is of a different view.
The 2020 NDC flagbearer wants President Akufo-Addo to urgently replace his Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, with a more assured and competent person who is able to work tirelessly to turn the country’s fortunes around.