E-levy: Don’t annoy me, nobody wants to go to the IMF

Seasoned journalist and Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over comments by some members that Ghana should return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial assistance.

Speaking on Peace FM, Mr Pratt alluded to some statements made by some NDC members where they suggest that Ghana should go back to the era of seeking loans from the IMF to develop the country.

These statements are as a result of the party’s opposition to the e-levy pending implementation by the Akufo-Addo-led government.

To the NDC, the e-levy will compound the plight of Ghanaians, so they don’t want it implemented.

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However, some officials of the incumbent government claim, without the e-levy, Ghana will not have adequate revenues to boost her infrastructure development.

Responding to the NDC’s suggestion for IMF intervention, Mr Pratt poured out his rage saying: ”They should stop making those statements that we should go the IMF. It’s annoying me! Seriously, it’s annoying me! Haven’t we been to the IMF before? What was the result? So, why is it that every time we are saying we should go to the IMF as if there is a solution there? There’s no solution there; so the NDC should stop saying we should go the IMF. It’s irritating me!!”

He recounted the hardships that Ghanaians faced during the days of going to the IMF for financial aid stressing the country’s national currency was devalued by “more than 30,000 percent over the period”.

“Is this not the same IMF we went to that brought about the cash and carry [system]? Have you forgotten? So, stop telling us to go to the IMF. Nobody wants to go to the IMF,” he fumed.