2020 polls: Government borrowed GH¢67 billion; 'shared it like kelewele' – Ato Forson claims

Cassiel Ato Forson, Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam Constituency in the Central Region has alleged that government went on a borrowing spree in the lead-up to the 2020 polls. Ato Forson, who is the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee said a total of GH¢67 billion was borrowed, an amount which he says the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government splurged on campaigning. He said the amount was also shared among members of the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, like 'kelewele' – a local snack made of fried chopped plantain with pepper usually accompanied with groundnuts. “Because of the elections, they decided to borrow GH¢67 billion, and shared the money to their party supporters. They shared Ghana’s money like kelewele,” Ato Forson claimed in an interview with pro-National Democratic Congress channel, Woezor TV. The NPP government has serially been accused of overborrowing and reckless spending leading Ghana into financial difficulties. The government insists that the twin effects of the COVID-19 aftermath and the Russia-Ukraine war are to blame for the headwinds and that measures are being put in place to rectify the challenge. Ghana is hoping for an International Monetary Fund programme to help stabilize the economy amid fears that it could collapse sooner or later. President Akufo-Addo in late October delivered an address on the economy, admitting that Ghana was in a crisis, whiles outlining measures being undertaken to reverse the tide and put the economy on a path of growth and prosperity. Watch the latest edition of BizTech below: SARA

Cassiel Ato Forson, Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam Constituency in the Central Region has alleged that government went on a borrowing spree in the lead-up to the 2020 polls. Ato Forson, who is the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee said a total of GH¢67 billion was borrowed, an amount which he says the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government splurged on campaigning. He said the amount was also shared among members of the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, like 'kelewele' – a local snack made of fried chopped plantain with pepper usually accompanied with groundnuts. “Because of the elections, they decided to borrow GH¢67 billion, and shared the money to their party supporters. They shared Ghana’s money like kelewele,” Ato Forson claimed in an interview with pro-National Democratic Congress channel, Woezor TV. The NPP government has serially been accused of overborrowing and reckless spending leading Ghana into financial difficulties. The government insists that the twin effects of the COVID-19 aftermath and the Russia-Ukraine war are to blame for the headwinds and that measures are being put in place to rectify the challenge. Ghana is hoping for an International Monetary Fund programme to help stabilize the economy amid fears that it could collapse sooner or later. President Akufo-Addo in late October delivered an address on the economy, admitting that Ghana was in a crisis, whiles outlining measures being undertaken to reverse the tide and put the economy on a path of growth and prosperity. Watch the latest edition of BizTech below: SARA