Audio By Carbonatix
Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, has cautioned African countries against piling up debts through excessive bonds issue.
According to her, unless Ghana and other African states are borrowing from the international market to finance infrastructure, Eurobonds may not be a good thing.
"I think it (Eurobonds issues)should be done with measure like every thing. No excess, no abuse", she said.
Ghana and other countries like Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Kenya and Zambia have recently turned to the international capital market to raise billions of dollars for various projects.
Last month, a third Eurobond to raise $1 billion by Ghana was over subscribed.
The $1 billion bond has a 12-year maturity, with a coupon rate of 8.125%. The bond matures in 2026.
According to the Ghana government the $1 billion Eurobond will be used to fund capital expenditure in the 2014 Budget and counterpart funding for pipeline projects and the refinancing of domestic and external debt.
On June 16 2014, Kenya successfully issued two tranches of a maiden Eurobond ($500m, 5.875% due 2019 and $1.5bn, 6.875% due 2024) in order to support infrastructural developments in road, railway and healthcare.
Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of the on-going IMF/World Bank Annual meetings in Washingtoin DC, Madam Lagarde said proper management of funds from bonds must be a crucial consideration among countries pursing that venture.
"We are currently working with the Fiscal Affairs Department [of the IMF] for specific research work to actually focus on how public finance and civil service in each country can actually well serve the discharge of major infrastructure projects and we will make that expertise available to all our members", Madam Lagarde said.
According to her apart from focusing funds from Eurobond on infrastructure, it is important to make sure Ghana and other African countries appreciate the benefits of good public finance management in ensuring efficiency of infrastructure.
Latest Stories
-
‘The first game was weird’ – Sampson reflects on Black Princesses’ Ecuador defeat
40 minutes -
Charles Sampson demands more confidence in front of goal from Black Princesses
46 minutes -
‘We have shaken it up’ – Sampson says Black Princesses ready to redeem themselves
52 minutes -
Herbert Mensah takes Africa’s sports economy case to the UN General Assembly Week in New York
1 hour -
Parrott scores again as Betis beat 10-man Lille
4 hours -
Mbappe goes joint-fifth in the list as real Madrid beat Inter Milan
4 hours -
Police arrest suspects over murder, bank robberies, gold-related attacks
4 hours -
Pragyia rider gets three months prison term for biting Police Assistant
4 hours -
Palm wine tapper jailed for stabbing farmer
5 hours -
Travel and tour agent remanded over GH¢107,000 recruitment scam
5 hours -
Taxi rank executives arrested over alleged attempted murder
5 hours -
Galamsey operator who posed as pastor to defile student jailed 15 years
5 hours -
Court sentences pub owner, shop attendant for selling expired food, sanitary offences
5 hours -
Mac Allister ‘sad’ at no Liverpool contract offer
6 hours -
Ghana pays $3.5m to University of Memphis over scholarship debt
6 hours