Professor Godfred Bokpin, an economist and lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), has called for the resignation of President Akufo-Addo, citing the inability to effectively govern with a maximum of 40 ministers.
Bokpin argues that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program secured by the country is not a definitive solution to the ongoing economic crisis. He stresses the importance of the government implementing additional measures alongside those recommended by the IMF.
The academic suggests that the government should reduce the number of ministers and consider dissolving unnecessary agencies during these challenging times.
Additionally, merging certain ministries could help curtail government expenditure.
“Why can’t we do that? If any president comes and says that he can’t do that, he should resign.
“We are not looking for perfect people to govern this country because we can’t get that here. If the president cannot govern this country with less than 40 ministers, he should step down.
“We said that government with this number of people because we don’t have the budget to sustain all of that. Collapse that, sell the V-8s,” he said.
Professor Bokpin was speaking at the Graphic Business/Stanbic Bank Business Meeting. The theme was “The Current Economic Situation and You.”
The economist also explained that the IMF is not an entity that embarks on recovering economies by itself.
According to him, the international body does not have a single case study of a country that it has transformed economically.
He explained that Ghana use to shine under the body but the country presently shows otherwise.
“This is how the IMF works. If any of us is thinking that the IMF certainly will come and transform our economy, IMF doesn’t do that.
In fact, IMF doesn’t have a single case study of a country they have transformed economically. In the time past, Ghana use to be a shining example of IMF interventions but this is where we are now.
The lecturer, therefore, indicated that the country needs to decide on specific interventions or strategies to achieve the “broad fiscal policy framework” prescribed by the IMF.