The International Monetary Fund(IMF) team working on Ghana’s programme is in Ghana to fast track processes for a bailout programme for the country.
The deal was expected to be sealed by February but President Mahama has hinted that the agreement is now expected to be completed by April 2015.
[contextly_sidebar id=”NbPR0uRHWSKM9EDxiPAgR1BkXrFI2hNA”]The Head of the Finance Department of the University of Ghana Business School, Godfred Bokpin has expressed fears that any further delays in finalizing the program could result in the depreciation of the cedi.
On November 20 , Ghana concluded preliminary discussions on a three-year IMF program.
An IMF mission, led by Mr. Joël Toujas-Bernaté, visited Accra on November 6 to 20, 2014, to discuss the authorities’ economic and financial program and its possible financial support by the IMF.
The IMF technical team is also expected to engage other government officials and agencies, including the Bank of Ghana on technical support programs, like revenue mobilization and monetary policy.
Major issues that could come up in the talks are cleaning up Ghana’s pay roll, and measures that will be instituted to check the rising public debt and government expenditure.
Meanwhile the President, John Mahama, has assured Ghanaians this will be the last time the nation will be seeking a bailout from the IMF.
“It is my hope that it will be the last time we will have to go to the IMF for any such programme…This will be the IMF programme to end all programmes,” Mahama told a mammoth crowd which had gathered at the airport to welcome him from the United Arab Emirates in 2014.
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah