Isaac Adongo, the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee in Parliament, has raised concerns about the recent staff review conducted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Ghana’s three-year Extended Facility Programme.
Despite the IMF’s positive evaluation, which positions Ghana to receive the third tranche of $360 million from the total $3 billion IMF bailout package, Adongo has questioned the true state of the nation’s economy.
While the fund has commended Ghana for its performance and cited key indicators that suggest the programme’s effectiveness, Adongo remains skeptical about the actual conditions on the ground.
In response to the IMF’s report indicating Ghana’s strong performance, Adongo expressed reservations, emphasizing the disparity between the IMF’s assessment and the realities faced by Ghanaians. He also raised concerns about the IMF’s role as a consultant, suggesting that consultants rarely acknowledge the failure of their advice.
Adongo highlighted that surveys indicate a worsening inflation rate, which contradicts the IMF’s positive review.
Furthermore, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has made clear and non-negotiable demands to ensure the integrity of the electoral system. These demands include an official written response to 35 critical questions posed by the NDC at the IPAC meeting regarding the status and recovery effort related to stolen biometric devices.
The NDC is also calling for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the theft of BVR laptops and other biometric equipment, including a forensic audit of the voter’s register. The party insists that the investigation be conducted by an independent body, with international observers to ensure neutrality and trust. The outcome should be a detailed report identifying those responsible and outlining corrective measures to prevent similar breaches in the future.
Additionally, the NDC is demanding a comprehensive audit of the Electoral Commission’s inventory and security protocols, covering all BVR and BVD equipment, to be performed by an independent auditor. This audit, according to the General Secretary of the party, is essential to safeguard the integrity of all electoral materials.
