The Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) Deputy General Secretary Enoch Paul Hayes has warned the Mahama government that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not Father Christmas.
He urged the Mahama government to take greater ownership of Ghana’s energy sector challenges rather than relying on prescriptions from the IMF.
Enoch Paul Hayes argued that there is clear evidence that the IMF is not Father Christmas, highlighting that whatever the IMF puts in, they know what they want to get from it.
He cautioned the government against adopting external prescriptions without considering Ghana’s own experience and the outcomes of similar interventions in other African countries.
PUWU Deputy General Secretary argued that Ghana has demonstrated its ability to solve complex problems when it takes ownership of them, mentioning the turnaround of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) as an example.
Enoch Paul Hayes expressed concerns about the perception that IMF support should automatically be accepted as the solution to Ghana’s economic challenges.
Speaking on JoyNews, Enoch Paul Hayes stated, “They are saying that there are issues, and the issues are not where you are trying to tackle them, but the issues are really in places where it’s a matter of concern. For example, the generation: we have IPPs and their pricing. Why is that not a concern?”
“What is happening to Nigeria? Whatever they said they were trying to do there has worsened the whole situation. What happened to Uganda? The examples are there,” he said.
“And as a country, we have also seen what we are able to do ourselves. So, just like Kwame Nkrumah said, the black man is equally capable of managing his own affairs. We can do something. We don’t always need to rely on the IMF,” he stated.
“I want to state it clearly. We have evidence. The IMF is not Father Christmas. They are not coming to say that they are giving us something for free. Whatever they put in, they know what they want to get from it,” he said.
He further urged the government to pay closer attention to proposals from organised labour and TUC on how to resolve the energy sector’s challenges.
“The advice is not what they are trying to look at, but rather we as workers of Ghana, well pulled by the leadership of TUC and Organised Labour, have given the president and also the minister some critical and important things we need to do and tackle,” he said.
“The World Bank were the same people who said that currently, the ECG, our revenue is coming up, we are doing well. So what has changed?” he asked.
Enoch Paul Hayes’ comments come on the heels of renewed efforts by government to address persistent challenges in the energy sector, including financial pressures, power generation costs and the operations of the ECG.
@ghnow_ Hon. Sam George takes a moment to teach pupils at the Prampram Cluster of Schools how to safely ride and enjoy the newly commissioned seesaw. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Hon. Sam George helped students climb onto the newly commissioned seesaw at the Prampram Cluster of Schools, ensuring the pupils could safely enjoy the new recreational facility. #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
