Founder of the Danquah Institute, Gabby Otchere-Darko, has questioned the capacity in which some civil society organisations criticise certain government policies.

According to the leading NPP member, he cannot fathom how a group like policy think tank IMANI Africa can decide the direction in which government’s revenue mobilisation should go.

This comes after researchers at IMANI Africa had earlier predicted that the government’s quest to raise ¢4.5 million from the Electronic Transfer Levy (e-ley) is not likely to be met.

Despite acknowledging that less than 20% of expected revenues from the E-levy has been mobilised, Mr Otchere-Darko reckoned that the New Patriotic Party government is well-placed to better manage the economy.

“You are looking at a government – and I’m talking specifically about the NPP; look at their record. In 2000, they came, we had economic crisis – they brought a solution and by the time we left office in 2008, there were challenges because there was a financial crisis.

https://www.myjoyonline.com/government-not-likely-to-meet-%C2%A24-5bn-e-levy-target-imani/

“We have seen less than 20% of the projected revenues coming from the e-levy [but] is IMANI now going to dictate to us how to run a country?” he fumed in an interview on Newsfile on the JoyNews channel.

The private legal practitioner explained that before the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country, government was in control of the economy “and the numbers attest to that.”

“Do you deny the fact that inflation was down by 7.9%; do you deny the fact that growth was 7%; do you deny the fact that they were still fixing roads, they were still paying for Free SHS, they were still investing more money in anti-corruption institutions; we were employing more people within the health sector; we were employing in the police; we were employing more teachers?”

Justifying the intention of government to seek support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Gabby Otchere-Darko argued that there was a delay because Parliament equally delayed in passing the tax measure.

He said the e-levy was envisaged to be the solution to addressing the hardships in the country.

Ghana runs to IMF

President Akufo-Addo, on Friday, July 1, directed the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to begin formal engagements with the Fund for possible support.

The President also urged IMF to support economic programmes put together by the government.

“The engagement with the IMF will seek to provide a balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghana’s build back in the face of challenges induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and, recently, the Russia-Ukraine crises,” a statement issued by the Information Ministry added.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), after the government’s announcement, confirmed receipt of the request.

According to a tweet from its Country Representative, Albert Touna-Mama, the Fund is ready to assist the country to restore macroeconomic stability.

“We can confirm that the authorities have been in touch to request Fund’s support to Ghana’s own economic programme,” he said.