I WON’T SHUT UP! -Agyapong Fumes • Says ‘We Can’t Use Face of Those Who Took Us To IMF To Break
Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, appears to have broken ranks with his party, as he hits hard at government for opting to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial bailout, saying the decision will negatively affect the party’s move to “break the 8”.
According to him, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration’s quest to remain in power after the eight-year’s maximum term, will be difficult if not impossible; insisting that he will not keep quiet in spite of the calls on him not to say anything about IMF.
He believes, those who contributed to the decision and took the country back to IMF must not be allowed to lead the party, because they cannot help the NPP in breaking the eight.
“You cannot use the face of those who took us [back to IMF] to break the 8”, it won’t work. My message to you is simple, you cannot, read my lips and I’m not scared of anybody in the party.
I’ll tell you the gospel truth, those who take us to IMF, those same faces cannot break the 8…. A word to the wise is enough,” he said during NPP National Constituency Officers Welfare workshop held in Koforidua in the Eastern Region,on Friday, July 1.
Though he did not mention names, many believe the maverick legislator was indirectly taking a dig at top government officials, who are lacing their boots to contest the party’s upcoming presidential primaries.
Obviously unhappy Assin Central legislatorwondered what they will tell Ghanaians again as a campaign message, going into the 2024 general election?
“IMF, what are we going to say again? You are sitting here; you’re smiling? Somebody texted me, don’t say anything about IMF. Me? I shouldn’t say it, IMF? I will say it,” he said.
Mr. Agyapong, who has announced his intention to contest the party’s presidential primaries, told the gathering that, going to the Breton Wood institution is like handing over power to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) without a contest.
“It is just like handing over power to NDC without a contest, straight away; because the noise we made, and I chew my own words back when I said the NDC went to IMF because of mismanagement of the economy. So if NPP is going to IMF, what am I going to say? So breaking the 8 is going to be tough”, he said.
He added; “I’m very, very sad today when I saw the publication that we are going to the IMF. You know that is what Mahama was praying for. He’s gotten his wish. It will not be easy, it will take hard work, so we should brace ourselves that there is a task ahead of us and, therefore, it is only unity that will help us sail through this breaking the 8”.
Last Friday, July 1, 2022, President Akufo-Addo bowed to pressure and authorized the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to commence formal engagements with the IMF, to support the national economy.
A four paragraph statement issued by Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the order follows a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Miss Kristalina Georgieva.
“At a meeting on June 30th, 2022, the cabinet indicated its support for the decision,” the statement said on Friday, July 1.
“The engagement with the IMF will seek to provide a balance of payment support as part of a broader effort to quicken Ghana’s build-back in the face of challenges induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and, recently, the Russia-Ukraine crises”.
But the MP, who appears to be cleverly taking himself out of the equation as he prepares to contest the flagbearership race with the likes of Vice President MahamuduBawumia, Trades and Industry Minister, John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Akoto Owusu Afriyie, has heavily criticized the move.
Already, Mr. Nkrumah has said, the IMF bailout decision is binding on all members of Cabinet, even though he admits that during deliberations, there were some who held contrary views.
Though there are attempts to save the face of Dr.Bawumia in particular, as the chairman of the Economic Management Team (EMT), with claims that he is not being allowed the free hands to lead, Mr. Agyapong says all who contributed to the decision to go to the IMF cannot extricate themselves from the mess.
He insisted that those who are members of the government and are seeking to be the next presidential candidate, cannot lead the NPP into the 2024 general election.
The MP, who has in the past, described the NDC’s decision to go to the Fund as a result of mismanagement and incompetence, said he is embarrassed by the latest development.
He said, making a farce out of the situation then in 2015 has made it difficult for him to defend his earlier position; adding, breaking the 8 is going to be difficult.
Source: theanchorghana
