The IMF frame shouldn’t define our national forum – Kwesi Praat

Kwesi Praat has shared his thoughts on a national forum aimed at resolving Ghana’s national challenges.

Praat praised the initiative, noting that such forums are essential for building consensus in a country with deep political, social, and economic problems during an interview on Metro TV monitored by MyNewsGH.

“Consensus-building in a country like Ghana is key and it’s a strategy that we need to adopt,” he emphasized.

However, Praat voiced significant concerns regarding the forum’s approach, particularly the apparent dominance of IMF policies in shaping Ghana’s future.

Praat explained that while he had no issue with the forum as a means of achieving consensus, he found it troubling that the framework for discussion seemed to already be decided. “It appears that the frame has already been set right, and this forum is not going to change the frame,” he stated.

Praat referenced comments by the former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, who had announced that an IMF team would be involved in creating the national budget.

Praat argued that this move seemed to restrict Ghana’s options, particularly for those who oppose IMF-backed neoliberal policies.

“Why do you want to hold such a national forum when we’ve already decided to pursue the neoliberal option?” he questioned.

Reflecting on the previous election campaign, Praat reminded viewers that President John Dramani Mahama had pledged to renegotiate Ghana’s terms with the IMF, reinforcing the dominance of IMF policies in the current administration’s approach. Praat expressed frustration with the fact that the forum might not provide the space for exploring alternative economic models.

“Some of us do not believe in the neoliberal option and would have taken advantage of this forum to argue our case for abandoning it,” Praat remarked, stressing the need for open debate on how to best address Ghana’s development challenges.

The post The IMF frame shouldn’t define our national forum – Kwesi Praat appeared first on MyNewsGh.