The World Bank has warned Ghanaians may have to brace themselves for tougher times ahead. The bank said the global financial crisis which has engulfed the US and European economies is likely to hit most African countries despite their shallow integration into the world financial market. The World Bank Country Director Ishac Diwan, who disclosed this to Joy News from the United States where he is attending a conference, said Ghana must take immediate pre-emptive measures. He made the suggestion citing South Africa and Kenya, two of Africa’s toughest economies, as having been already hit. Mr Diwan said although the Ghanaian economy stands robust and resilient despite the global crisis, the effects in the heavily hit economies would soon be trickling down. But if Ghanaians are to suffer the financial plunge, he said, it will come mostly in the form of reduced remittances. He also mentioned the country's inability to tap effectively into the markets, dwindling national investment portfolios as well as poor export earnings. “One cannot be optimistic as we were just a few weeks ago,” Mr Diwan said. Ghanaians secure annual remittances of over $3bn, but with the crisis looming, the figure may suffer. He suggested Ghanaians may have to be their own rescuers and consider any foreign assistance as a mere adjunct to their efforts. “This is the time when you want to have your foreign exchange in your central bank….you cannot count on foreign lines of credit to save you. “Ghana would have to rely much more on its own forces than on foreign financing…The micro-economic imbalances are much harder to finance from abroad and so measures should be taken to ensure that the reserves are sufficient and that the foreign exchange at your earnings are sufficient to meet your obligations,” he instructed. An economist at the University of Cape Coast Dr Emmanuel Ekow Asmah in a separate interview described the World Bank’s warning as “hitting the nail right on the head.” He said Ghana could have taken advantage of the crisis to increase its export earnings but with the country recording increasing levels of food imports, it is likely to pay more to survive. Listen to World Bank Country Director, Ishac Diwan Story by Fiifi Koomson