Ghana has a bleeding economy – Osafo Marfo

The Senior Minister-designate Yaw Osafo Marfo has indicated that Ghana currently has a bleeding economy.

He was speaking after President Akufo-Addo named 13 ministers he would like to serve in his government in various roles.

Osafo Marfo after being named as the senior minister pending his approval by Parliament said the economy the NPP inherited from the opposition NDC is not an “encouraging” one.

Speaking to Accra-based Joy FM he said Ghana was “heavily indebted but not poor.”
Osafo Marfo who was a Finance Minister in the erstwhile Kufuor administration described the current GDP rate of 72% as suffocating.

By IMF and World Bank standards when the debt to GDP is above the 70% threshold, the country is said to be Highly Indebted Poor Country.

“We are extremely, heavily indebted but not poor.”
“The economy is fundamentally very strong. It is the management that has been a problem.”
Ghana’s budget deficit is currently around 8 percent. A figure higher than the 5% expected under the IMF agreement.

Ghana is currently under a three-year programme with the IMF as part of efforts to bring credibility and stability to Ghana’s economy. 2017 is the final year for the bailout.
The Senior Minister was one of 13 minister designates announced by the president in the
The president also nominated Ken Ofori Atta as the Finance Minister.

Ofori Atta said is he is approved by parliament, his main task will be to remove the “nuisance taxes” imposed by the erstwhile government.

“My challenge is to take taxes off; find different revenue stream.”