‘Let’s not play politics with the economy’

A former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Dan Abodakpi, has asked political parties to not play politics with the  economy but rather come to a consensus to find lasting solutions to the current economic crisis.

He said they must also appreciate the economic dynamics and help the government to address the current situation, adding, “It is dangerous to play politics with the economy, which will have telling effects in the future.”

Mr Abodakpi told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Takoradi on the sidelines of a regional delegates meeting to solicit support for the party’s chairman’s position.

He said the government had not in any way failed, but just like Malaysia, Greece, the United Kingdom, Spain and the United States of America, which experienced sudden global economic crises and were gradually picking up, there was still hope for a better Ghana with the support of all and that “the government is prepared to dialogue”.

Mr Abodakpi mentioned trade liberation and fronting by Ghanaian businessmen and women for multinational companies to invade the country as a major contributor to the fall of the cedi, and lauded the Bank of Ghana for introducing some measures to control the situation.

He compared the situation to the 1980’s Malaysia financial crisis and the exchange control measures put in place by the country to mitigate the situation.

The former minister said another avenue to save the ailing economy was for the Ghanaian to have confidence in made-in-Ghana goods and fully patronise them to support the growth of the local industry and to ensure stable economic growth.

Mr Abodakpi entreated the government to effectively communicate these harsh economic realities to Ghanaians to win their confidence, as well as talk to the business community to stop being import-dependent, which only made the nation a consuming economy with its resultant negative trade balance.