K.B. Asante: Discuss real problems and take meaningful action
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cannot dictate to Ghana how many civil servants, ministers and deputy ministers she can employ, but it can demand some discipline in public expenditure so that Ghana pays for the facilities granted to her. IMF money belongs to its members and Ghana is a member.
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The rules and conditions for IMF assistance have been agreed upon by members, and IMF officials may suggest how the necessary obligations can be met but do not, in reality, impose conditions, as is popularly believed. Our market women who have credit unions which extend similar facilities to members will fully understand IMF procedures if appropriately explained to them.
Let us, therefore, fully understand our financial circumstances and try to resolve the real issues instead of “beating about the bush”. President Mahama has a kind heart and understands the concerns of the people. He has, therefore, assured a conference of chief directors, as reported by the Daily Graphic on April 27, that, “It is not true that government will retrench personnel in the public service as part of the International Monetary Fund conditions.”
This assurance will please many. But the President should not add to his onerous duties by dealing with secondary issues. The main problem is how the government pays its way. Already, there are many reports that some officials and technicians already employed in the public service have not been paid for months. This is what should engage the urgent attention of our President. It is part of the bigger problem of financial and administrative management. We seem to be spending or living beyond our means. The average Ghanaian will disagree that we are “living big” because life is not easy. Unfortunately, he or she has to suffer a little before things get better.
This is what we should discuss. The futile, stupid discussion of “Na who cause am?” should give way to suggestions of plans to get us out of the present difficulties. Whether the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC) or Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP) caused the present problems is not the urgent matter at stake. We should find solutions through thoughtful planning and ruthless eradication of corruption, indolence and inefficiency.
The European Union (EU) and IMF are insisting on the Greek Government taking the appropriate measures to enable the country to meet its obligations. The measures are tough and the anger of the people should be directed not at the EU or IMF but at the various administrations which allowed the economy to sink so low. As a socialist, I am not happy when harsh economic measures are imposed on an impoverished people. I am annoyed because simple good management and bold thoughtful decisions should have avoided harsh measures. But when the mistakes are made, the people have to suffer a little for better times.
I was at the Institute of Economic Affairs Conference on corruption last week. There was nothing new about the canker which was becoming a distinguishing feature of the Ghanaian landscape. What worried me most was the farce of a national budget as revealed at the conference. Ministries and institutions spend days preparing their budgets which are streamlined into the draft national budget eventually approved by Parliament. The pathetic fact is that they ignore the budget provisions and now and again spend more than was approved by Parliament or even what was never before Parliament.
Frankly, I do not see the difference between this practice and using other people’s money by way of corruption. We cannot pay those we have employed or take on the new labour we need for development if such corrupt practices are allowed to continue. The President should wage a relentless war on corruption in all its forms and impose financial discipline on state administration. Ignorant people call presidents who impose such discipline dictators. I would rather have such dictators than “IMF conditions”.
We do not need the IMF to tell us what to do, but we shall beg them to tell us what to do if our backbone is made brittle by corruption. The primary aim of government is not to win the next election but to improve the lot of the people. And if this means some hardship for a little while, government should let the people know. If we have to pay more for electricity to enable our institutions to open letters of credit for gas or oil, we should be told. To dilly-dally while private gadgets are destroyed and industries collapse is an indictment on our leaders as well as those of us who allow pointless arguments and discussions to cloud the real issues.
Let us identify the real problems and take the necessary measures to resolve them. It is the only way out of the present mistrust of authority and dangerous despondency.