3 weeks of lockdown has exposed Ghana’s ailing economy – Ato Forson

The Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament says, although the Akufo-Addo led administration prides itself with a robust economy, the three-week lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus has exposed Ghana’s ailing economy.

Cassiel Ato Forson in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story Monday, noted that after three weeks of the lockdown in some parts of the country, numerous citizens, investors and employers are experiencing a harsh effect of the ‘so-called’ robust economy.

“Now businesses are struggling, employers are laying off staff and there is little or no sign that people will get their salaries.

“But this doesn’t only expose the inequality in our system, it exposed the ‘so-called’ robustness of our economy to the extent that we had very little to service our public debt,” he stated.

His comments come after Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia touted President Akufo-Addo’s management of the economy even in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, in response to former President John Mahama, who criticised government’s handling of the crisis.

“We have been able to perform much better on the situation we inherited. In fact, the data makes it very clear. So My humble advice to former President Mahama is to take a look at the data before you speak, otherwise, you will end up embarrassing yourself,” Dr Bawumia said.

But Mr Forson said he was surprised to hear the Vice President make such political utterances in a time of global emergency.

For the MP of Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam constituency, Dr Bawumia should be highlighting initiatives put in place by his administration to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable people in the country.

“Government has announced a very mega stimulus package. [GHS600million], yet there is no blueprint on how to access that the stimulus.

“Instead of him to talk about precise policies put in place, he is coming out with numbers like this, which shows government is unconcerned,” he stressed.

He promised to ‘take a look’ at the data the Vice President is talking about and respond to him appropriately.

However. Spokesperson for the Vice President, Dr Gideon Buako on the same programmes said, there is nothing wrong with Dr Bawumia’s political statements.

According to him, the flagbearer of the opposition NDC has capitalised on the coronavirus pandemic to make political utterances as well.

“And this year being an election year, the ruling NPP must not sit moot for the opposition to throw dust in the eyes of the people.

“When you have an opposition leader, and more so, one who has been a president before, but does not recognise that these are not normal times but goes round doing politicking, we will not let that act of the opposition fester, to get to a point that you cannot control,” he said.