Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo
A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, is wondering if some of government’s current decisions are being influenced by the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) conditions for a bail out for the country’s ailing economy.
The Political Science lecturer is also questioning government’s decision to continue with the construction of a National Cathedral, free Senior High School educational policy, demolish and rebuild the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), while maintaining its huge size as well as recruiting new government machinery despite seeking to impose on Ghanaians a Debt Exchange Programme that will have dire consequences on the pension investments of labour unions across the country.
In a Facebook post, on Thursday, 22 December 2022, the Political Science lecturer, in an open letter, has told the IMF that it will not be allowed to implement such policies that will further enrich the wealthy in society while crippling the poor, if indeed it is behind government’s decision.
“You don’t govern Ghana and you won’t be allowed to perpetuate the vicious cycle that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer in Africa, by deliberately overlooking the opulence, profligacy and total unwillingness to sacrifice on the part of our political elites.
“Did you disingenuously tell our politicians to keep their savings and investments secured in foreign bank accounts and to use the pension money of the already impoverished public sector worker to fund the Debt Exchange Programme?” the Political Science lecturer quizzed.
He further described the IMF’s counsel to government as “unintelligent,” if it is indeed behind the current decisions being taken by the Akufo-Addo-led government, regarding its Debt Exchange Programme.
Professor Gyampo stated: “If you did, then your counsel was unintelligent. Our governments do not like to listen to us but they pay attention to whatever you tell them especially when we are in crisis. Yet, you guys at the IMF know that some of us sat in the same classrooms with you when we were studying abroad and we beat you terribly in exams.”
He added: “You are certainly not smarter than us. We won’t swallow hook, line and sinker your very inhuman prescription to sacrifice the future pension of our poor public sector workers.”
Meanwhile, due to government’s refusal to exempt pension funds from the Debt Exchange Programme, Organised Labour has served notice of a nationwide strike from next week.
The stipulated date for the strike is Tuesday, 27 December 2022.
The Secretary-General of Organised Labour, Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, made this known at a press briefing on Monday, 19 December 2022.
He said the strike has been occasioned by the government’s decision to introduce a debt exchange programme.
According to him, the strike will be in force until the government exempts pension funds from the planned debt exchange programme.
“We are asking the government to exempt us from the debt exchange programme.
“We have already told the world that if the government doesn’t do that, we will advise ourselves.
“Today, we are here to announce the advice. The advice is very simple.
“We have all agreed that because the government has refused to grant our request, we have decided firmly that all workers of Ghana are going to strike on December 27, 2022, and we will be on strike until our demands are met,” Dr Yaw Baah vehemently noted.
