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<\/p>\n\nRichard Ahiagbah \u2014 Communications Director, NPP <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has urged the media to hold the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), to hard facts on issues concerning the current state of the economy and government\u2019s decision to seek an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.<\/h2>\n
Mr Ahiagbah made the call while reacting to a Facebook post on comments made by the Managing Director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, where she said the country\u2019s current economic challenges were not locally generated but were as a result of external shocks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe inability of the NDC to communicate the causes of the economic challenges facing Ghana is evidence that Ghana would have been worse off if they were in charge of the economy because they would have misdiagnosed the problem. The IMF has spoken now NDC must speak to the facts\u201d Richard Ahiagbah wrote on his Facebook wall.<\/p>\n
IMF boss comments<\/strong><\/p>\n At a meeting last week Monday with President Akufo-Addo on the sidelines of the Africa Adaptation Summit, a conference on climate change in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, the Ms Georgieva described Ghana as a \u201csuperb country\u201d adding that country\u2019s current economic were due to external shocks.<\/p>\n That, Ms Georgieva, said was in sharp contrast to some narratives that the country found itself in the current situation due to bad policies of the Akufo-Addo administration.<\/p>\n \u201cLike everybody on this planet, you have been hurt by exigenous shocks. First the pandemic, then Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. We need to realise that it is not because of bad policies in the country but because of these combination of shocks and, therefore, we have to support Ghana,\u201d the IMF boss said.<\/p>\n Mahama\u2019s stand<\/strong><\/p>\n However, following her comments, former President Mahama on his Facebook wall has asked Ms Georgieva to be truthful when commenting on Ghana\u2019s economic woes.<\/p>\n Mr Mahama insisted that the reasons for the \u201cmess\u201d the country found itself currently were clear for all to see.<\/p>\n He said even though he appreciated that comments from IMF officials should be guarded due to international diplomacy, facts must not be ignored.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the norm in international diplomacy of being guarded in what one says is appreciated, comments by high-ranking officials must be grounded on facts that take into consideration local realities and opinions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mr Mahama said the incontrovertible fact was that \u201cGhana is in a mess due to the bad policies of this government which have contributed massively to the dire state of affairs\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cInternational diplomats must consider these facts and not just ignore them; lest they make a wrong diagnosis and prescribe inappropriate remedies,\u201d former President Mahama said.<\/p>\n Reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n Reacting to the comments by former President Mahama, Mr Ahiagbah said the IMF had laid bare the facts about the economy and therefore the NDC must speak to those facts.<\/p>\n He urged the media to hold the NDC to hard facts on issues of the economy and the IMF bailout instead of propaganda which had been the style of the NDC to sway the electorates.<\/p>\n The IMF says a deal with Ghana should be reached and finalised before the end of the year.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n