The President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Dr Humphrey Ayim-Darke, says he does not expect President John Mahama to use the entire State of the Nation Address (SONA) to lament economic challenges without offering solutions.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Dr Ayim-Darke stressed that Ghanaians expect the President to outline how his promises align with the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
“We expect the President to tell us how he aligns his promises or projects with the IMF programme. Beyond that, and within that context, he should be able to demonstrate the macroeconomic perspective in the short to medium term while ensuring alignment with the IMF programme,” he said.
He added that businesses are particularly interested in plans for exchange rate stability, inflation control, and structural transformation within the short and medium term.
“He has an obligation to align his promises with the existing IMF programme he inherited. How has he structured his policies to fit the current economic reality?
He has over two hours to address the nation, and I do not believe he will spend all that time lamenting. Instead, he must provide clear policy directions and show deliberate commitment to supporting the private sector,” he noted.
Dr Ayim-Darke also pointed out that the issue of scraping of nuisance taxes should be crucial in the President’s address.
“It is within this context that the question of whether he will remove these taxes will arise. The President has a duty to fulfil the promises he made to the people,” he said.
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