The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has built sufficient buffers to meet the country’s debt obligations as they become due, the Governor, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, has said.
He said the BoG had mobilised adequate Gross International Reserves (GIR) and maintained strong cash flow to manage the country’s debt service requirements in the short to medium term.
“As of April this year, Ghana’s Gross International Reserves stood at more than $10.7 billion, providing over 4.7 months of import cover,” he revealed.
Dr Asiama gave the assurance at a press conference in Accra on Friday after the 124th regular meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the BoG.
He was responding to a question on the bank’s capacity to honour external debt obligations as the country prepares to pay its debts in 2026 which were suspended due to its bailout programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“Debt payments have not entirely stopped. We are already paying our debts,” the Governor clarified.
“We have a robust cash flow and a clear schedule of payments stretching into the medium term. Everything is well programmed, and I am confident in our ability to meet these obligations.”
At the MPC meeting on Friday, the Committee in a unanimous decision maintained the policy rate (the rate the central bank lends to commercial banks) at 28.0 per cent, citing stability in the Cedi, high level of inflation and positive external position of the country.
Also the MPC decided to amend the Dynamic Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) in which the CRR for all banks would now be maintained in their respective currencies, meaning that foreign currency reserves for foreign currency deposits and domestic currency reserves for domestic currency deposits.
The policy measure, the Governor said would become effective on June 5, 2025.
On the stability of the currency, Dr Asiama indicated that the Cedi’s recent stability was largely market-driven and not influenced by central bank interventions.
“The data published last Thursday shows that our reserves are actually increasing. This appreciation is the result of prudent economic policies, tight monetary policy, and strong inflows from remittances, cocoa, and gold exports,” he noted.
Dr Asiama mentioned that the country’s current account surplus and a positive trade balance were key drivers of the exchange rate stability.
“The exchange rate is an endogenous variable under our managed float regime. It is expected to move within a range, but what is important is that the swings are not excessive,” he said.
On the target for reserves, Dr Asiama said the BoG had not set a fixed target but operated with a minimum threshold.
“Our floor is a minimum of three months’ import cover. We are currently well above that level, and our reserves provide the necessary cushion to withstand external shocks,” he said.
He expressed optimism that traders would begin to reduce the prices of goods in line with the current stability of the Cedi.
“So long as there is competition in the market, we expect to see some price adjustments,” he added.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE