Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the President’s cabinet retreat will not just solve the current economic hardships.
He noted that the same people who brought the country to its knees cannot be the same ones trusted to restore it.
Speaking on ‘Good Morning Ghana’ on Metro TV on Friday, March 18, 2022 he said the President must realise that the current situation demands fresh ideas and bold steps.
His comment follows the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah’s announcement that the President has been in cabinet meetings in preparation to announce the easing of border restrictions and tackle the escalating fuel prices.
According to Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa, it is the same cabinet ministers who brought the economy to its knees. He indicated that having those same people putting their heads together will amount to nothing.
“This much touted cabinet retreat, the same cabinet since 2017 which has brought us to this point the same cabinet is going to meet and it’s being splashed all over the newspapers that it should give us some hope.
“I heard the information minister say we should have high expectations it’s likely we have reopening of the borders and we will have easing of the economic challenges, it’s a major cabinet retreat. I mean this same cabinet?
“Isn’t it obvious to the president that he needs fresh ideas? He needs a fresh crop of people. I mean the same people? Who have brought us to this point? The same people are going to meet and suddenly it’s being presented to the Ghanaian people as some panacea has come upon us,” he intimated.
He indicated that there are a lot of prominent Ghanaians who are well versed in economics and have availed themselves to help in providing solutions, some of whom are even NPP stalwarts, but were not welcomed.
“Look, the list of prominent Ghanaian economists who have said that they are available, including their own members, people like Kwame Pianim, the venerable and respected Kwame Pianim, a stalwart of the NPP, a statesman, he can’t even have access. He says he calls the Finance Minister and he doesn’t even pick up.
“They need fresh ideas and Kwame Pianim can’t even have access. His own party people and they don’t want to meet him. Citizen Kofi, has told the media he is available, he has sympathy for the NPP they should just give him a listening ear to also share his two cents, he is advertising publicly, they won’t mind him.”
Meanwhile, there is an ongoing cabinet meeting on the country’s economic situation at Peduase Lodge.
