President Akufo-Add is urging hope and confidence among Ghanaians amid the ongoing economic challenges.

In his address to the nation on Sunday, the President assured citizens that the nation would overcome its challenges while adding that the battle ahead belongs to the Lord.

His optimism comes after the government secured a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday, May 17.

Already the first tranche of the $3 billion government requested from the Fund has been credited to the Bank of Ghana’s account. However, economists have warned that the country is not out of the woods yet.

Conceding, President Akufo-Addo said the IMF deal does not automatically alienate all of the nation’s financial issues.

According to him, the deal will instead reinstate the financial trust in the country, thereby, drawing a lot of investors into the country who will in turn change the economic trajectory of Ghana.

“Access to the IMF facility will not expel the immediate end of the difficulties we are in presently. But the fact that we’ve been able to negotiate such a deal, sends a positive message to our trading partners, creditors and investors.

“A positive message that will be underpinned by the discipline, hard work, and enterprise with which we execute the programme. It should lead to the restoration of confidence and the reopening of avenues that have been closed to us this past year and a half. It should also lead to the resumption of many infrastructure projects that have stalled,” he said.

While admitting that transformation will not happen overnight, President Akufo-Addo sought to unify the nation and uplift the collective spirit.

To rally all and sundry for the challenges ahead, he said, “Fellow Ghanaians, we shall overcome our present economic difficulties. The battle is indeed the Lord's."