President Akufo-Addo’s call on World leaders to walk the talk to restore hope in leadership by taking pragmatic steps to save the world from the impact of climate change is one of the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Thursday.
The Graphic reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said it is time for leaders to walk the talk to restore hope in leadership by taking pragmatic steps to save the world from the impact of climate change.
“It is time to turn words into deeds and ambition into action. With the world in flames and under flood waters, the eyes of people everywhere will be on the decision-makers at COP 27. They have to deliver if they are to escape the censure of history,” the President told leaders at the Climate Adaptation Summit in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
He emphasised the importance for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, simply referred to as COP 27, to deliver on its commitment to double financing towards climate adaptation efforts in Africa.
The summit, hosted by the Global Centre on Adaptation and held for in-person attention and virtual participation, was to garner further support and resources for the continent’s flagship Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP).
It was in collaboration with the African Union (AU), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Africa Adaptation Initiative and the Climate Vulnerable Forum to lay the foundation for an adaptation breakthrough for Africa at the COP 27.
Although it was expected to attract many leaders, only the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, and three African leaders – President Akufo-Addo, Senegal’s President Macky Sall and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi – attended in person.
In 2009, wealthy countries promised to deliver $100 billion a year to developing countries in climate finance by 2020. However, that promise has not been honoured, with over $17 billion in arrears by the promise schedule of 2020.
At last year’s COP 26 Summit, some rich countries pledged to double their adaptation finance contributions from 2019 levels by 2025. This will increase it from $20 billion a year to $40 billion.
The newspaper says that former President John Dramani Mahama has questioned the assessment of the current state of the Ghanaian economy by the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva.
According to Mr Mahama, while it was a relief to hear Madam Georgieva “reaffirm the commitment of the IMF to support the people of Ghana in these perilous times”, it was “incontrovertible” that the “bad policies” of the government had contributed to the economic slump.
He said policies such as “the botched, insensitive and dubious cost in closing down locally owned banks, unbridled levels of corruption and lack of accountability including the mismanagement of COVID-19 funds, unconventional borrowing practices riddled with opaqueness and conflicts of interest, resulting in an unsustainable debt envelope, costly, experimental and untested programmes”, could not be ignored in understanding the current dire state of the Ghanaian Economy.
He said if these points were disregarded by the IMF and other international diplomats, they were likely to make a “wrong diagnosis and prescribe inappropriate remedies”.
“While the norm in international diplomacy of being guarded in what one says is appreciated, comments by high ranking officials must be grounded on facts that take into consideration local realities and opinions,” Mr Mahama posted on Facebook.
“The incontrovertible fact is that Ghana is in a mess due to the BAD POLICIES of this government, which have contributed massively to the dire state of affairs.
“International diplomats must consider these facts and not just ignore them; lest they make wrong diagnosis and prescribe inappropriate remedies”.
He further advised international diplomats to reflect local realities when speaking about the Ghanaian economy.
The Graphic also reports that on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo held bilateral talks with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte AC, in The Hague.
The meeting was aimed at deepening the ties of co-operation that exist between Ghana and The Netherlands.
“We also explored areas of mutual benefit for our peoples and nations,” President Akufo-Addo wrote on Facebook.
The Ghanaian Times says that the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa has warned Ghanaians in the country of a possible xenophobic attack this month.
“Kindly be advised that lately, there has been increasing protests by various organised groups in South Africa protesting against the presence of foreigners in the country.”
“Individuals claiming to represent various groups against the presence of foreigners have announced plans to attack, rusticate or remove foreigners from their jobs or workplaces and even out of the country,” a statement issued by the High Commission said.
It indicated that such activities by individuals or groups could degenerate into violence that could threaten the lives, safety and livelihoods of foreigners.
The statement therefore advised the Ghanaian community in the country to be extra vigilant to such incidents, restrict their movements to safe areas, avoid mass gatherings and refrain from engaging in activities that could result in conflict, brawls or affect their safety.
It further urged the Ghanaians to contact the mission in case of emergency or any attacks.
Xenophobic attacks in South Africa are not new because for more than two decades now, many South African nationals have on different occasions blamed other Africans nationals in the country for the economic woes, crimes and inability of the government to perform satisfactorily.
This has led to needless attacks on foreigners in South Africa, leading to the loss of many lives and properties.
Xenophobic attacks in the years 2015 and 2019 were very disastrous to the extent that many African governments repatriated their citizens from the country due to the high number of lives that were being claimed during the commotion.
The newspaper reports that the new International Monetary Fund, (IMF) Mission Chief for Ghana, StéphaneRoudet, has paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta and the first Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Maxwell OpokuAfari.
Stéphane Roudet is in the country following his appointment as the new IMF Mission Chief for Ghana, effective September 1, 2022.
StéphaneRoudet’s arrival comes two days after the Managing Director of the IMF, KristalinaGeorgiva, reiterated her outfit’s commitment to reaching an agreement with the Ghana Government by the end of this year for an economic programme.
According to citifmonline.com, in a closed-door meeting with the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Monday on the sidelines of the Africa Adaptation Summit, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the IMF boss told President Akufo-Addo that “we understand the urgency, and we will move as quickly as possible.
”Describing Ghana as a “superb country”, she reiterated the determination of the fund to work with government and the Ministry of Finance, to ensure that an agreement is in place before the end of the year. StéphaneRoudet’s visit sets the tone for a full negotiations to begin with the Government of Ghana.
He will also be calling on other heads of key government institutions in the country.
StéphaneRoudet is replacing Carlo Sdralevich, who will be taking on another assignment in the IMF’s Finance Department.
GIK/APA