<\/p>\n
The Minority spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, has cast doubts on the government\u2019s intent to secure a deal with the IMF before the 2023 budget is prepared<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt in the next six weeks we are going to have a programme. That will be a magic of a lifetime,\u201d he said on Eyewitness News<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In his view, any deal before the 2023 budget will not be in Ghana\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will mean we are just going to be yes men and accept everything they say,\u201d said Mr. Forson.<\/p>\n The Director of Strategy and Business Operations at Dalex Finance, Joe Jackson, however, said he was willing to give the Finance Minister some benefit of the doubt.<\/p>\n Also on Eyewitness News<\/strong>, he said the targets are aggressive, but both parties are operating with an awareness of the urgency of the situation.<\/p>\n \u201cUnless somebody shows me any reason that the team there is not going to work day and night to achieve that target, I will be cautiously optimistic,\u201d Mr. Jackson said.<\/p>\n An IMF team is in Ghana until October 7 to continue discussions with the government on policies and reforms that could be supported by a lending arrangement.<\/p>\n The Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana have commenced a comprehensive debt sustainability analysis with the IMF for a $3 billion support programme.<\/p>\n The meeting with the IMF comes amid concerns that Ghana is about to start talks with domestic bondholders on a restructuring of its local-currency debt.<\/p>\n