General News of Thursday, 12 February 2015
Source: Flagstaff House Communications Bureau
President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday met the Presidential Advisory Group on the Economy (PAGE) to review the ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The meeting, the first in 2015, also reviewed the implementation of the 2015 Budget and how to consolidate the gains made so far.
Head of the IMF Negotiation Team, Dr. Kwesi Botchway, who is also the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), told the meeting that most of the outstanding issues with the IMF have been concluded.
It is expected, according to him, that the Programme will be realized not later than April 2015 when the IMF Executive Board meets.
The Advisory Group, which includes Vice President K. B. Amissah-Arthur, Investment Consultant and Economist Kwame Pianim, former Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa Dr. K. Y. Amoako and Finance Minister Seth Terkper, also discussed extensively, the impact of the world market price of crude oil on the Ghanaian economy.
Other discussions were on the Inter-ministerial Committee on Pay Roll with a recommendation that the Action Plan is presented to Cabinet for consideration in the next few days.
The other members of the Group who were present in the meeting are Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, Acting Director General of the NDPC, a former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana Nana Oye Mansa Yeboaa, and Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Henry Kofi Wampah.