IMF Programme: Kofi Koranteng Calls On Bawumia To Resign, Or Be Removed

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Mr Kofi Koranteng, presidential hopeful for Ghana’s 2024 election, has added his voice to calls on Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to resign at the back of the nation going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout.

“On the cusp of yet another mortgage financed by the IMF with guarantees provide by the future blood, sweat, tears and toil of every working Ghanaian, I am here to call for the resignation of Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, as the chairman of the Economic Management Team,” Mr Koranteng told a press conference in Accra.

The call of Mr Koranteng follows calls by former President John Mahama, for the Vice President to resign, citing his reason that, ‘under the leadership of Dr Bawumia… the economic leadership team has led Ghana to its worst international credit rating downgrade.’

Mr Koranteng, a presidential hopeful in Ghana’s 2020 presidential election but whose candidature was disqualified among five others by the Electoral Commission called on Parliament to remove the Vice President from office if he failed to resign.

“Barring his willing resignation, I call on every Member of Parliament to act for the good of our Nation and remove him from office,” he said.

He said he agreed with the former President for the Vice President to resign, but however described his reasons as being “more systematic than that cited by the former President,” as he painted a progressive poor economic performance, which he called a hole that “was begun decades ago.”

He blamed both the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)for being cozy in his removal by the EC in the 2020 ballot, and for beginning what he called a “hole that was begun decades ago and each party the NDC and NPP have equally dug it deeper.

“The blatant and systematic pilferage of the riches, resources and labours of Ghana and its people have been and continue to be perpetrated by the NPP and NDC.”

Mr Koranteng added: “So yes, I agree with the former President in calling for the resignation or removal of Dr Bawumia and the Economic Management Team but in no way endorse its replacement with equal incompetents from the NDC.

Mr Koranteng, who served as chief executive officer of the Progressive Alliance Movement, a USA based non-political advocacy group said to accept yet another loan from the IMF, there must be a “marked change” in the function, purpose, mission and goals of the Government of Ghana.

He said: “The disproportionate salaries, stipends, living expenses, luxury travel, vehicles, household help and sweetheart deals with corporations and foreign governments that benefit only the privileged must end.

“The average Ghanaian would be eutectic to have a home, vehicle and food paid for by the government.”

He asked the Government to explain what a $ 1 billion disbursement approved by the IMF Executive Board to Ghana to address the COVID-19 was used for.

Mr Koranteng suggested the trimming of the number of ministries “who suck up an extraordinary amount of Ghanaian wealth and wondered “how of the current IMF loan would end up in the foreign investment account of ministers and their associates.

While calling on the citizens, especially the youth to join in saving the nation from economic collapse, Mr Koranteng asked, “Is the tax code of Ghana fair? Is Ex-gratia and Article 71 fair when the children of the Nation are hungry, and their parents have no jobs?

“Is the National Cathedral a National Treasure or a treasure chest for the pirates who rob Ghana?”

By: GNA