President John Dramani Mahama has stated that his administration will not organise celebratory “kenkey party” events to mark Ghana’s anticipated exit from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, distancing his government from what he describes as past approaches.
Speaking during a citizens’ engagement at Ndewura Jakpa Senior High School in the Savannah Region on Saturday, May 23, President Mahama stressed that although progress has been made under the IMF-supported programme, the work is not yet complete.
“We won’t have a kenkey party like Akufo-Addo did,” he remarked, underscoring his government’s cautious stance toward the country’s economic recovery efforts.
According to the President, his administration inherited an IMF programme that was significantly off track and at risk of collapse when it assumed office in January 2025. He noted that key performance indicators had not been met, requiring urgent corrective measures to stabilise the programme.
“We inherited the IMF programme from the previous government. At the time we took over, all the agreed performance indicators were out of track, which meant that the programme was in danger of derailment,” he said.
Mahama explained that his government implemented stringent policies to restore confidence in the programme, leading to improved assessments by successive IMF review missions.
He disclosed that the most recent IMF mission, which concluded its work in Ghana last week, expressed satisfaction with the country’s performance. The findings are expected to be presented to the IMF Executive Board for approval of the next tranche of funding.
The anticipated disbursement of approximately $380 million is expected to provide further support to Ghana’s economy as it continues its recovery path.
Despite these developments, President Mahama cautioned against premature celebrations, emphasising that Ghana’s economic stabilisation remains a “work in progress.”
“Our focus is on sustaining the gains and ensuring long-term stability, not on celebrations,” he added.
The IMF programme, which has been central to Ghana’s recent economic reforms, aims to restore macroeconomic stability, reduce debt vulnerabilities, and promote sustainable growth.
