President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned against premature celebrations following Ghana’s conclusion of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, insisting that the country’s economic remains a work in progress.
Speaking during his “Resetting Ghana” tour in the Savannah Region on Friday, the President said although the country has achieved some level of economic stabilisation under the IMF-supported programme, more work is needed to strengthen the economy and prevent future bailouts.
“The country has been under the IMF until last week when Ghana concluded its program, awaiting a final release of over 300 million dollars. We’re not going to have a kenkey party because we believe that it is still a work in progress,” he said.
Mahama contrasted his administration’s approach with previous celebrations that followed Ghana’s exit from IMF support programmes.
“Unlike others who left the IMF and held waakye and kenkey parties, happy to be free from the IMF. We are not doing that because we know that economy still needs a lot of work to be done. And it is my hope that this is the last time that Ghana will go to the IMF for a bailout.
“We must be able to manage our affairs in such a way that we don’t go cap in hand begging anybody to come and bail us out,” he added.
The President made the remarks during a series of engagements in Damongo, the capital of the Savannah Region, on the second day of his regional tour.
As part of the visit, Mahama commissioned the Yamoransa Model ICT Lab, a digital learning facility supported by the Helping Africa Foundation. He said the initiative aligns with government’s B-STEM agenda aimed at promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics education among young people.
“It fits perfectly into government’s programme of B-STEM. As you are aware, yesterday we launched the B-STEM school in Sawla, where we’re teaching our children science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. And so, these labs allow them to come and continue to hone their skills, especially in information and communications technology,” he stated.
The President also paid a courtesy call on the overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, the Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, who commended government’s efforts to improve road infrastructure and development in the region.
During a community engagement session, several ministers used the platform to update residents on government interventions in their sectors.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu assured residents that senior high schools would not face food shortages under the current administration.
“The senior high school students here, you know that under President Mahama, there is no food shortage. And no school will be closed down because the GES is struggling to supply food,” he said.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak also announced that results of medical examinations for prospective security service recruits would be released next week, adding that intake numbers had been doubled following intervention from the President and the Finance Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Roads and Highways Minister urged contractors handling road projects in the Savannah Region to return to site, assuring them that government would honour outstanding payments for completed work.
The President later inspected the site earmarked for the construction of the Savannah Regional Hospital as part of efforts to expand healthcare infrastructure in the region.
Mahama’s tour continues with a focus on infrastructure development, education, healthcare and equitable distribution of national resources across the country.
