AfDB gaffe: Gov’t demands apology from Bawumia

The Ministry of Finance is demanding an apology from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) vice presidential candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for deceiving the public in his presentation last Tuesday.

The former deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana claimed that Ghana has been blacklisted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for nonpayment of its debt portfolio.

"It would also interest you to know that Ghana has recently been sanctioned by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for non-payment of debt obligations due. In this regard, Ghana regrettably joins an exclusive list of nations currently under AfDB sanctions. The other countries are Somalia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Djibouti. Ghana’s arrears on its AfDB debt obligations only serves to emphasize the pressure on government cash reserves, as well as the poor debt management,” the three-time running mate said during the lecture at the Central University College.

But the bank denied that assertion a day after, stating: "Our attention has been drawn to a press report that Ghana is under sanctions with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)," the Bank said on its Website adding: "We wish to state that Ghana is current on all its obligations with the AfDB."

The Bank clarified that it erroneously put Ghana on its sanctions list in February this year but hurriedly effected a correction. "On 18 February 2015, due to an administrative oversight, Ghana was erroneously included in the list of countries under sanctions by the AfDB. However, the error was detected that same day and a corrected list was immediately issued in replacement," the Bank said.

Following the AfDB’s clarification, the Ministry of Finance has said Dr Bawumia must apologise to government for misleading Ghanaians.

“I expect Dr Bawumia to come and apologise to the nation,” deputy Finance Minister Ato Forson told Starr News. “Because my worry is he describing the Finance Ministry and the NDC as smart drunkards. I think it is unfair.”

He added: “By going forward to say Ghana has been sanctioned by the AfDB is very inaccurate. He has a responsibility to cross check before putting it out there. He has caused a lot of concern particularly in the investing community and a lot of panic in the financial market.”