Casiel Ato Forson, a member of parliament representing the Central Region’s Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency, has explained the causes of Ghana’s current economic difficulties.
With high inflation reaching approximately 55% and a sharp decline in the value of the Ghanaian cedi relative to the US dollar, the country is currently suffering from a severe economic crisis.
The state of the government’s finances is likewise at an all-time low.
President Nana Akufo-Addo acknowledged that Ghana is in trouble and blamed “malevolent forces…that have come together at the same time,” referring to the COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He has been the target of numerous protests in the West African nation as a result of the situation.
The Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine have been cited by the government of Ghana as among of the causes of the current economic crisis, although analysts believe that the government’s excessive expenditure is also to blame.
The ranking member of the Parliament’s Finance Committee alleged, among other things, in a tweet that the country’s current economic problems are a result of the size of its government officials.
Below are the 7 reasons outlined by Ato Forson:
1. The NPP has the largest size of government in the history of Ghana! Find out how many ministers they’ve appointed from 2017. At one point, they had over 125 ministers!
2. This government has over 1,000 presidential staffers paid as article 71 officeholders at the jubilee House!
3. They’ve also appointed soo many special assistants to ministers with emoluments close to that of deputy ministers at the various MDA’s.
Take also into consideration:
4. The number of spokespersons at various MDA’s paid above the pay of Directors!
5. The number of CEOs at various State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) and their pay packages! Many of these SOEs now employ 3 or 4 deputy CEOs with fat conditions of service!
6. The impact of the Over 50 new agencies with zero output, eg. CODA, NADA, MBDA, free SHS secretariat, 1D1F secretariat, Petroleum Hub Development Authority, Ghana cares Secretariat, etc
7. The unconscionable decision to send over 100 Databank staff to the Finance Ministry as special assistants and paid as customs commissioners on GRA’s payroll!
