Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the MP for Suame, expressed his confusion about former president John Dramani Mahama’s assertion that the country’s current problems are unrelated to the conflict in Russia and Ukraine.
According to Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Ghana was directly impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war by the drop in exports from Ukraine and indirectly by the war’s impact on the price of petroleum products.
The conflict in Ukraine is having an impact on us since Ghana imports around 40% of its wheat and wheat flour from Ukraine.
And the price of bread is costly because they are unable to export them to us.
“The increase in the price of things we don’t export from Ukraine is because the price of petroleum products has increased due to the war. Because of the increase in the prices of petroleum products, the cost of transportation has also increased, which is affecting the prices of all other goods.
“So, it is shocking to hear the former president say he does not see how the Russia-Ukraine war affects Ghana’s economy,” he said in Twi, in an interview with Hello FM, monitored by GhanaWeb.
Former President Mahama recently berated the Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, for attributing Ghana’s prevailing weak economic situation to the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
The remark made by the IMF chief, in Mr. Mahama’s opinion, ignores the fundamental truths underlying Ghana’s economic difficulties, which he attributes to poor management on the side of the Akufo-Addo-led administration.
“While observing the custom in international diplomacy of speaking quietly is welcomed, statements made by high-ranking officials must be supported by evidence and take into account local circumstances and opinions.
The former president stated, in a Facebook post seen by GhanaWeb, “The indisputable fact is that Ghana is in a shambles due to the terrible policies of this government, which have contributed immensely to the dire condition of affairs.”