Press spotlights concerns raised about economic crisis in Ghana, others

APA – Accra (Ghana)
The concerns raised by Economist Kwame Pianim about the direction of government activities, following an economic crisis in Ghana is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Monday
The Graphic reports that Economist Kwame Pianim has raised concerns about the direction of government activities following an economic crisis in Ghana.
Mr Pianim in an interview with Joy FM criticized the government’s trend of ceding control to foreign experts and resorting to constant borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which he sees as an indication of incompetence.
He expressed disappointment in the leadership of the country, stating that he expected better performance after 66 years of independence.
“We have a Finance Minister who borrowed and Parliament that supported him to borrow. We have now somebody from the US treasury sitting in the Ministry of Finance to hold Ken Ofori-Atta’s hand. Ken told me once – we went to school with these same white boys – we are just as good as them,” he said.
“Now he has somebody sitting there, holding his hand, giving him tutorials in what? And we have somebody being paid by a Swiss fund sitting in the Bank of Ghana. Our governor was out giving advice to other countries. And we are being recolonised,” he said.
According to Mr Pianim, government projects often cost twice the indicated price due to incompetence and corruption.
As a result, he does not believe that Ghana’s debt should be forgiven but rather restructured to compel the government to pay, thereby deterring it from reckless borrowing.
Mr Pianim has recommended that the government focus on creating home-grown solutions to address current economic issues rather than relying on the IMF during times of crisis.
The newspaper says that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) only created “unemployment” when it governed for eight-years from 2009 to 2017.
On the part of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Bawumia says the party has created 2.1 million jobs since assuming power in January 2017.
Speaking at Mpraeso in the Eastern Region on Saturday morning, April 8, 2023, the Vice President said out of the 2.1 million jobs, 975,000 were in the private sector with the remaining 1.2 million in the public sector.
He was speaking after a health walk, organised by the NPP as part of activities to mark this year’s Kwahu Easter celebration.
Dr Bawumia therefore implored Ghanaians to continue to repose their trust in the NPP-led government since they are capable of turning the fortunes of the country around.
He said the NPP has done a lot for the country in terms of life changing projects and policies, pointing out that no government in the history of the country has done more roads than the NPP.
The newspaper also reports that nominees for the second edition of Ghana Music Awards- Europe has been announced at the Airport View Hotel on Friday, March 31.
The main ceremony of the awards scheme organised by Ghana Music Awards Europe is scheduled to take place on May 6, 2023 in France.
The nominees announcement had in attendance industry players and musicians such as Akosua Agyepong, Piesie Esther, Joyce Blessing, Abena Serwaa Ophelia, DJ Azonto among others.
In all, about 26 categories were announced on the night. In the European categories, musicians such as Eugy, Bollie, Juls, Abra Cadabra, Wilhelmina, Soulja Kelly, Frank Keys, Goldkay, NSG, Elijah The Worshipper, Nana Fofie and Jean Feier competing for Artiste of the Year.
Nominees in the Best Female Vocalist of the Year category are Trudy, Cilla Asa, Ruth Appiagyei, Yvonne Asamoah and Akubless.
Vying or the Reggae/ Dancehall Artiste of the Year award include Loso Ranking, Ras Amankwatia, Shegah, Goon Mann and Danny Lampo.
Best Ghanaian International Ariste of the Year category have contenders such as Wiyaala, King Ayisoba, Afro Moses, Atongo Zimba, Kyekyeku and the Santrofi band.
That is not all, the Legendary Award has Slim Busterr Asare, Nana Acheampong and Kwabena Sunkwa.
Speaking in an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Head of Corporations for event, Kofi Mulah said his outfit is expecting a better and more organised awards than the first one last year.
“The maiden edition was successful but we believe in making progress so we are moving a notch higher by makig the awards scheme more attractive by expanding it to other places in Europe.
The main purpose of the award scheme is to recognise the hard work of Ghanaian musicians in Europe and we are proud to say the scheme has been accepted and getting a lot of attention in Europe.
“Last year’s event was held in France and so will this year’s but it our hope to move subsequent editions to other countries in Europe next year.
The Ghanaian Times says that the National Youth for Peace, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) is calling on government to fully incorporate treatment of breast cancer into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to the NGO, breast cancers were among the leading causes of illness and death globally as 70 per cent of patients with breast cancer were normally single mothers and widows.
These patients, it says, finds it difficult to afford the medication and other related treatment, hence resort to losing their lives.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Eric Baffoe Nyarko and copied the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday.
The NGO said the cost of managing breast cancer, especially advanced cases, was usually beyond the financial means of patients and their families saying, the level of services and financial barriers to these patients amount to an “unethical denial’ as cancer patients must be given the same level of treatment to other patients like, malaria patients.
“The NHIS does not entirely cover treatment of breast cancer. It only subsidises chemotherapy which is part of breast cancer treatment. But, some patients require more than just chemotherapy to get cured from the disease,” it said.
The NGO explained that, surgery and radiotherapy which costs several thousands of cedis were also part of most breast cancer treatments in Ghana as many of the cases were detected at middle and late stages.
In Ghana, it said most breast cancer cases were detected at stage three and beyond and with such diagnosis “you need various cycles of chemotherapy, surgery and at least 16 rounds of radiation, where some even go up to 25 rounds.”
It indicated that, due to the cost of the radiotherapy, many patients default treatment leading to the death of the patients.
The NGO therefore called on the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, National Health Insurance Authority and other stakeholders in the health sector to consider their plea to relief patients of their burden.
It also encouraged women to engage in regular breast screening exercises to get early treatment.
GIK/APA