K.B. Asante questions government over the use of middlemen to obtain loans

Retired diplomat, Dr K.B. Asante, has lashed out at Ghana’s political leadership for the manner they manage the country’s economy when they take up its governance.

Speaking on 3FM’s morning show, Sunrise on Friday, he wondered why a whole government with all the resources and power at its disposal, uses phoney individuals for economic transactions and or to obtain loans for the country.

“Talk about Woyome and all that, why should government use people to obtain loans when it has more power to obtain loans than any individual?” he questioned.

Making reference to the era of Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the statesman said the government sought the expertise of technocrats in the running of the country, noting “that was how some of us or people like JB Phillips brought their lecturer from Cambridge to talk to Nkrumah about the economy.

“During Nkrumah’s time, he would approach people who had the technical know-how to advise him,” the outspoken statesman said. Mr Asante told host of the show, Winston Amoah, adding “that’s the sort of thing we want; not people whose track record is not credible”.

For Dr K.B. Asante, Ghanaians have been taken for granted because it has not done much in the last years, saying “for a whole country to be taken for a ride like that is sad. It means we haven’t done much in 60 years”. ‘Loose campaign talk’

Dr K.B. Asante was also expressed his displeasure at politicians over their kind of campaign messages and plans for the country should they get the nod at this year’s December 7 general elections to manage the economy.

“I’m not happy about the lack of concern with issues and how we’ll improve the nation. Also worrying to hear loose talks about building more schools, roads, hospitals and other projects. That shows government has no plan; and its finances are not being utilized well,” Dr Asante stated.