The Ghanaian populace may have to share in the blame and take some responsibility for the country’s rather shocking return to the IMF. This is because many Ghanaians failed to cooperate with the government’s ‘novel’ idea of raising internal revenues through the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy).
Because of the incessant controversies that characterized the passage of the E-levy and the deliberate attempt by some Ghanaians to avoid the tax, all ostensibly supported by the opposition NDC, the government is failing to realize the targeted proceeds to undertake the needed development of the country.
This is according to the Upper East Regional Director of Communication for the NPP, Peter Ayinbisa. He said this when he spoke on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper Show during the week.
“We have been sincere with Ghanaians. But look at the NDC and look at who is asking these questions. They are the ones who advocated, suggested that we go to the IMF. Eventually, we are at the IMF and they are complaining. I don’t get them. They are complaining. They [are] saying that we have mismanaged [the economy]. They are asking why we are going to the IMF.”
“The things we had given the indication we were going to do, if we [as Ghanaians] had cooperated and we had implemented those things. We might not have been where we are,” he said.
When pressed on his insinuation that Ghanaians failed to buy into the government vision, he said, “why? That is why we brought the novelty. You know how much the E-levy was supposed to make.”
When asked, “are Ghanaians to blame for a return to the IMF?”, Mr. Ayinbinsa answered saying “I am not saying Ghanaians are to blame.”
When the host further interrogated asking “it looks like you are saying Ghanaians did not do their job that is why we are where we are,” the Regional Director of Communication’s response was “that is why we are engaging them. That is why I am here with my colleague here and on the various networks trying to explain things to the Ghanaian people.”
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
