Economist and Finance Lecturer, Prof Godfred Bokpin has commended President Akufo-Addo for taking the bold decision to seek economic support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News on Friday, he said that it is a positive step government has taken to engage IMF.

“We are at a point where as a country this is not to divide ourselves, this is not to do the blame game, this is a time to rally behind government collectively because there isn’t anything in anything in IMF programme that they will come and do for us. We have to do it ourselves,” he said.

This comes after President Akufo-Addo on Friday directed the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to begin formal engagements with the International Monetary Fund for economic support.

A statement signed by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and dated July 1^st, 2022 indicated that there had already been a conversation between the IMF boss, Kristalina Georgieva and President Akufo-Addo conveying government’s decision to engage the Fund.

Godfred Bokpin is part of the many advocates who have preached for government to go to the IMF to solve the economic crises the country is in presently.

According to him, he is not surprised the government is taking such an initiative.

He added that “what I see from this is that willingness to open up to alternative ideas on the table.”

He further urged the government to embrace inclusivity in the approach to bringing many views onboard and strike the necessary collaboration with the opposition in Parliament and Ghanaians.

Meanwhile, the National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has reacted to President Akufo-Addo’s directive to the Finance Minister to engage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for economic support.

In a tweet on Friday, he called out the government over its initial reluctance to resort to an IMF programme and the various criticisms against the Mahama-led administration for doing so during its tenure.

Posterity has a nice way of disgracing dishonest leaders. @NAkufoAddo and @MBawumia have been trapped by their own words. What a shame. pic.twitter.com/PBlebn0jOo

— Sammy Gyamfi (@SammyGyamfi2017) July 1, 2022

While describing them as “dishonest leaders,” he said the President and his vice have been exposed by their own words.

“Posterity has a nice way of disgracing dishonest leaders. @NAkufoAddo and @MBawumia have been trapped by their own words. What a shame,” he said.