NDC Government Debt Led Nation Into HIPC - Minister Charges

Ghana is to pay a penalty of about $40million to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the misleading information they were given on the national economy from the previous NDC government.

The Central Regional Minister, Mr. Isaac E. Edumadze, who disclosed this said these and other huge local and foreign debts inherited by the NPP government have made it imperative for the country to join the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative to salvage the economy and enhance national development. Mr. Edumadze was addressing the chiefs and elders of the Denkyira traditional area as part of his 10-day maiden familiarisation tour of the region.

The minister was accompanied by the Regional Coordinating Director, Mr. Ahmed Ibin Salih, the Regional Economic Planning Officer, Mr.

Alex Opoku Buamah, Mr. Tampuri, Chief Local Government Inspector and the acting Regional Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Kwaku Ofori-Adu.

He rejected claims by some sections that the country has been sold into economic slavery for going HIPC stressing that Ghana can opt out of the initiative when the economy of the nation improves.

He pointed out that Ghana qualified for the HIPC long before the NPP came into office due to the huge indebtedness to donor countries and agencies but for reasons best known to the ousted NDC, it played politics with it only for the NPP to come and take the bull by the horn to salvage the shattered economy to enhance national development.

The regional minister reiterated that his decision to probe the district assemblies in the region is not witch-hunting but to ensure probity and accountability and inject financial discipline into the Assemblies.

He further observed that former DCEs who would be found wanting during the probe would be called upon to account fully for the misdeeds while those without any blemish would be rewarded. Mr. Edumadze who is also the Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency, assured the chiefs and elders that the government will not meddle in chieftaincy and land disputes but will respect the decision of the relevant institutions charged with the settlement of such issues.

He, therefore, apealed to Nananom and their elders to eschew land, chieftaincy disputes and partisan politics in order to protect the good image of the chieftaincy institution and promote development in their communities. He also called on chiefs and landlords in the region to review their land tenure systems to make land easily accessible to prospective investors and farmers to promote their involvement to boost agricultural produce.