Rawlings says Ghana’s economic challenges started in 2001

• Posted on May 13, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Ex-President John Rawlings has said the current economic dilemma facing the country can be traced to as far back as 2001.

Describing the economic situation in the country as “almost dead”, the ex-president said it would require selfless men and women to clean up the situation.

He was speaking to a cross section of journalists at Senchi, venue for the National Economic Forum which opened, Tuesday.

The Forum has brought together key personalities to brainstorm on Ghana’s economy and to find out how to arrest the current economic challenges facing the country.

The ex-president who was one of the invited guests at the Forum said the country is in a pretty tight situation and “we cannot escape with ease,” unless we are able to trace the genesis of the problem.

Mr Rawlings handed over power to the New Patriotic Party which won the 2000 elections under the leadership of John Agyekum Kufuor.

After eight years, Mr Kufuor also handed over power to the late John Mills who won the 2008 elections.

Mr Rawlings said: “The economic disruption and political behaviour that has been foisted on this country since 2001 has been ignoble and if we cannot see or recognise the ultimate objective then to be quite honest I don’t know what we are about in this country.”

“…It’s going to be pretty difficult unless we are ready for a very serious clean up that will require bold and selfless men and women.

“We have done it before and it can be done again,” he assured.

He said the statistics of Ghana’s economic challenges give an indication of the genesis of the problem, and despite his persistent criticisms, propagandists have swept the matter under the carpet.

Mr Rawlings called for thorough examination of the problem to find a lasting solution.

Author: Nathan Gadugah