President’s speech more on Covid-19 than IMF $3 billion loan – Dr. Sa-ad Iddrisu

Dr. Sa-ad Iddrisu

US-based Ghanaian economist, Dr Sa-ad Iddrisu, has expressed worry about President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s partial speech on the IMF $3 billion loan facility among other social programs.

President Akufo-Addo addressed the country in his 29th address to the nation since his last address on March 27, 2022, a year ago, declared the Covid-19 pandemic over in Ghana.

Reacting to the president’s address, Dr Iddrisu believes the address to the nation was more on Covid-19.

According to him, “I was expecting him to touch on the social programs like Free SHS and tell us what agreements the gov’t made with the IMF on that. Which section(s) of the Free SHS is the gov’t reviewing? I was again expecting him to touch on the IMF conditionalities such as the increment in taxes, electricity bills, etc, and tell Ghanaians the hardships to expect in the coming days, so we can start tightening our belts.” He said.

Dr Iddrisu says the president should have spoken to country about China too as indicated in the IMF report to clear all doubts surrounding the deal.